Caged Thoughts
by Chrysomallos
Summary: [ShonenAi][Chapter 8 Out!] A little... accident, occurs between two people on one of the docks of Destiny Islands. Will a chain of events reveal something new? Well, it is called 'Destiny' Islands.
1. Let's Take a Dip

**Caged Thoughts**

**Chapter One: _Let's Take a Dip…_**

**Summary: **On one of the docks of Destiny Islands, a little accident occurs between two people. Will anything be revealed? Well, it is called _Destiny _Islands.

**Pairing: **You should be able to figure that out, it's sort of obvious.

**Warning: **This fanfic contains Shonen-ai; the rating is set this way just in case. I'm not sure if it's actually going to turn into R-rated material, yet.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the makers do. To be specific, Squaresoft and Disney. My one wish is to have a Sora and Riku plushie, though. Ok, actually, let's be serious. I want many other things too(like the DVD box set of Gravitation, all of the Gravitation Manga, all of the DVDs of FMA, the DVD box set of Witch Hunter Robin, an outfit just like Sora's (Halloween town and normal), an outfit just like Riku's (Heartless, from Hollow Bastion, and normal) all of the different variations of Keyblades in real life, etc. etc. etc.)but that's not going to happen. Nor am I ever going to get that Sora or Riku plushie.

**Note: **

This is my first fanfic. If it scars you horribly, because of the poor writing skills and grammar, I apologize in advance. Sadly, I am too poor to pay for anyone's medical or counseling bills, so there's no point in suing me.

**Also, 'Cady' is pronounced 'Kay-dee'.**

**Thoughts: 'Blah.'**

**Speech/talking: "Blah."**

**

* * *

**

In the early morning, inside one of the many houses on Destiny Islands, a lone figure tossed under the sheets of the bed it lay upon.

"Nnng…"

Sora, with his face crammed into his pillow, was unable to sleep. Insomnia had long ago started to fill him; to say in the least, he was tired of it. Sitting up into a position with his legs crossed, the Keyblade master looked across his room to the clock on the table.

"4:27 Am…" He yawned and rubbed at his eyes sleepily. "I can't believe I'm still awake… I shouldn't have watched that movie so late at night…"

Blinking a few times, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up slowly. His feet slipped into the blue slippers that were a few feet away, and he shuffled quietly through the door of his room.

Not wanting to wake up his mother, he closed her door, and headed downstairs.

At the age of 17, Sora was long ago able to understand there was a rare chance he would ever meet his father. Cady - Sora's father - met Violet - Sora's mother - while visiting the islands on a short trip he was taking to release some stress. Each of them soon realized they had feelings for each other, and Cady moved over and into a new house with his new love.

The two weren't yet married, but about a year and one month later, Violet learned she was pregnant. Not being able to take the news, the soon-to-be-father moved back into his original apartment away from Destiny Islands.

Violet was heartbroken, but she learned to cope. Cady sent her money every month to help, but the contact between them was soon broken, and Violet had to get a job at a local restaurant. As her son grew, she moved up in rank, and finally became owner and manager, of the 'Cerulean Sea' restaurant. The previous owner had retired, and trusted her to take care of the establishment he had worked so hard for.

Violet's son still felt guilty about the problems he had caused his mother, and helped her around the house whenever he felt the need to.

Sora chuckled as he walked into the kitchen located on the house's main floor, remembering some of the many predicaments he and his mother had both gotten in, and out of. Although she was alone with one child, she wasn't one to be depressed. He shook his head with a smile on his lips in amusement.

Reaching into the cupboard to the left of the sink, he pulled out a bag of cookies. The 17 year old took some out of the bag and jammed a few into the pockets of his pants, and decided to take a walk.

"I can't get back to sleep anyways…" He yawned again, while slipping on a light blue hoody. He jotted down a quick note to his mother, and stepped out into the cold morning air.

* * *

Riku awoke with a start. He stared with wide eyes at the wall in front of him, his hands clutching the sheets pooled around his waist. 

"I had that same damn dream again…" he muttered.

Collapsing back onto his pillow with a deep sigh, he laid staring at the ceiling for what seemed like the thousandth night, thinking.

"I need to clear my head."

The 19 year old dragged himself out of bed, and made his way to the front of the house. Living alone certainly had its perks, like the solitude, but right now Riku wasn't making much of an effort to keep quiet. He bumped into a chair while stumbling towards the door, and cursed under his breath.

Looking up at a clock on the wall, he mumbled, "4:56AM… it's too damn early."

Finding some of his usual attire lying on the table, he remembered to change. If, that is, you consider slipping on clothing he had already worn the day before over the boxers he had slept in, changing. He also slipped on a pair of shoes and a warm jacket. Slamming the door on his way out, he scared a nearby seagull from its roost.

Riku was not a morning person.

The silver-haired teenager started walking, with no intent of heading anywhere in particular. He crossed his arms in thought, and continued on his trek.

'Maybe I'm just stressing with suppressing these… emotions,' he walked on a few meters more before finishing his thought, 'this must be the way I'm dealing with it mentally.'

He blinked and was brought out of his daydreaming as he noticed the presence of another. He wrinkled his face in confusion, spotting the mop of cinnamon hair sitting at the end of the dock, but his face softened when he took notice of the sunrise seemingly painted into the picture before him. Riku made his way across the wooden planks, and looked down at the person who had not yet noticed him.

"Sora?" he called out softly.

Sora came out of his reverie quite quickly. So quickly, in fact, that it scared the both of them. Sora just had to turn his head, and…

"Wha… OH MY GOD!"

Riku jumped back in surprise, and Sora put a hand to his chest. Luckily, neither of them fell into the surf, but Sora had to steady himself with a hand. Sora just continued to stare up at his friend, stunned. Who of which, had just burst out laughing.

Riku plunked down next to the Keyblade master, who was still breathing raggedly.

"You should have seen your face! It was hilarious!" he continued to laugh, and swung his legs back and forth over the side of the dock.

Finally having regained his composure, Sora replied, "Don't do that! You scared the… uh… bejeebers out of me!"

The silver-haired ball of humor, namely Riku, stopped laughing. He looked at his companion awkwardly, tilting his head to the side.

"'Bejeebers'? Only you would use a word like that," he chuckled deeply, "anyways… what are you doing out here? It's early for me, and if it's early for me, it's way too early for you to be awake."

Sora attempted to glare, which came out as more of a frustrated pout. He had to work on that.

The taller of the two leaned over and ruffled the mane of hair in front of him.

"Calm down, I was only having fun with ya." Pausing, he scrunched up his face. "Oh, now look what you've done. I'm starting to sound like Wakka!"

At that, Sora started giggling softly. God, he was starting to sound and look like a giddy schoolgirl.

"Ah. Well, I'm here because I just couldn't sleep. And what about you? Like you said, isn't this early for you, too?" Sora questioned.

"Unlike you," Riku poked Sora in the cheek, but continued, "I can cope with losing a little sleep, Mr. 'If I don't get at least 20 hours of sleep a day, I'll die.'"

Sora shoved his provoker's hand away and rolled his eyes.

"Whatever…" Reaching into his pockets, he asked, "Want a cookie?"

Suspicious, Riku raised a brow.

"How long have those been in there?"

Sora sighed in exasperation. "I just put them in my pants this morning, as a snack. Mom made them yesterday." He held one in front of Riku's face, and pried, "You never answered my question."

Riku snatched up the cookie and bit into it, mumbling, "In your pants? I thought you were more polite, or at least prideful, than to do something like that."

"You know what I meant!" Sora replied, red with impatience and embarrassment. "Besides, why did you eat it if you had thought it had been… there?"

The older of the two sent the other a look that plainly had the message 'are you that stupid?' written across it.

"I'm hungry!" he exclaimed. Crossing his arms, he still held half of what Sora had given him in his mouth.. "You may have eaten, but I didn't."

Riku looked over to Sora, who had gained a sheepish look.

"Don't tell me…" he gasped, "the food-inhaling machine has stopped working? Never mind me! Eat! You'll starve!"

Riku reached inside Sora's pockets, and Sora yelped, as he had to pull him closer to get what he was looking for. He continued to be excavated by Riku, until the digging hand retreated in its attack.

Glad it was over, Sora went to speak - "What were you- **MmFF!**" - but had a cookie abruptly jammed into his mouth.

"There!" announced Riku. "Now you won't die of starvation, and it was all thanks to me!" He mockingly fluttered his eyelashes. "Aren't you going to give me your many words of thanks? Praise me for saving you? Smother me in compliments?"

The shorter of the two swallowed, and grinned impishly.

"Oh, I'll smother you in something all right…" Sora trailed off and shifted his body weight onto his hindquarters, crouching.

"**YAHHH!**"

He leaped in an attempt to tackle the older one, but Riku gracefully and swiftly dodged, jumping to the side.

"You've got to be faster than that, maybe you shou-"

_**SPLOOSH!**_

Riku was afraid to turn around.

What had made that noise? Then he remembered… he and Sora had been on a dock. Docks, sometimes, weren't all that wide. So, when Sora had jumped at him…

"**RIKU! I am **_SO_** going to kill you!**"

For one of those rare moments, Riku was afraid. Very afraid.

* * *

**Poke':** Ok, well, not really the end, just the end of the prologue/first chapter, thingy…

**Sora:** Why did I have to be the one that gets wet!

**Riku:** Because it's kinky.

**Sora:** o.o;;

**Poke':** Awww. Ok, well, I'm open to criticism. I will ignore flames to the fact that this is yaoi/shonen-ai, though. Well, I'm not actually sure if it's going to be yaoi. Anyways, I'm rambling. This is my first fanfic, so, yeah. I've already written the second chapter! I just haven't typed it out yet. Yes, I wrote it on paper. I was bored in school! In Social Studies and Math, to be exact.

**Riku:** Argh! Get on with posting the damn chapter already! They don't care about where you wrote it, they just want to read it!

**Poke':** Well, I'm not sure if anyone enjoyed this, so how do I know if they want to read on? I do know that the only reason you're supporting the next chapter's posting… is because you want more lovin'!

**Riku:** There wasn't ANY 'lovin'' in this chapter!

**Sora:** What are you two talking about?

**Poke':** Aw, he's so naïve, it's almost too cute.

**Riku:** Like you'd know anything about… I won't mention it for the sake of Sora.

**Poke':** Shut-up! I'm not Naïve!

**Sora:** What? What are you keeping from me!

**Poke':** I'm not actually sure myself…

**Riku:** See!

**Poke':** Well, let's end the confusion. Please, R & R!

**Sora:** Why won't anyone tell me what's going on?

**Riku:** It's ok, you'll understand soon enough. -Hugs-

**Poke':** -points- Pervert!

**Riku:** At least I knew what that word meant earlier than you did! You didn't know what it meant until you were 12 and a half!

**Poke':** Shhh! He doesn't know what he's talking about, just ignore him.

**Riku:** She didn't! I swear! Just-

**Poke':** -slaps hand over Riku's mouth- Ok, well, bye! R & R, please? Whoever R & Rs first, is my first… um… R & R-er!


	2. In the Mind of a Whimpering Idiot

**Caged Thoughts**

**Chapter Two: _In the Mind of a Whimpering Idiot._**

**Pairing: **Not telling. Just figure it out yourself!

**Warning:** This fanfic contains Shonen-ai; the rating is just for safety. I'm not sure if it's actually going to turn into R-rated material, yet.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Final Fantasy Series, Disney, Squaresoft/Square Enix or any of the characters/items/whatever else, that is involved with those companies/games.

…

I do actually own a copy of Kingdom Hearts, I don't know if that counts. Not a burned copy; I mean, I bought it from a store… and… stop confusing me damn it!

**Reviews: **

Promise: Cute? AHHH! NO! I HATE CUTE! I don't have a soft side! Who told you that! Oh, wait, that's a compliment, right? And yep! It's a keepin' goin'.

Teizonriku: Thanks for the comment on my A/N. I just got the name Poke' from a few people I know, because of my E-mail Address. So... yep. And I think this is fluff... in this chapter, I mean. You'll have to be the judge of that, though. Also, sorry if I made the ending to the first chapter a bit unclear. Basically, what happened is: Sora tried to leap/attack Riku in a fit of rage, but he missed. Instead, he jumped right off of the dock they were on, and into the water. So, ta-da! He's now all wet and even angrier at Riku!

Gaiya-Khan: Thank you! I'm very happy that you like it! I'll write as fast as I can. Sadly, I'm on sort of a writer's block for the third chapter. I do have a few ideas in mind; I just have to string them together.

**_PLEEEASE._** Read and Review?

**Note:**

This is my first fanfic. If it scars you horribly, because of the poor writing skills and grammar, I apologize in advance. If you sue me, the only thing you will gain from it will be some Manga, Video Games, and maybe some Pocky. But that's all I'm proud of owning. Unless you want my bed. o.o' It's a loft bed!

**Thoughts: 'Blah.'**

**Speech/talking: "Blah."**

**

* * *

**

"I hate you."

Riku sighed.

"So I've heard."

There was silence except for the occasional rustle of movement.

"When are you coming out of there?" Riku questioned. He tried to lift up an edge of the blanket beside him, but a limb belonging to the lump under the sheet quickly pulled it down.

Said 'lump' answered with the muffled reply of, "When I stop hating you."

Riku rolled his eyes. He was surprised they hadn't fallen out of his head up until then.

"And when will that be? Hopefully before one of us dies." The lump still didn't move. "C'mon, Sora, you're going to freeze if you don't change out of that clothing," he worriedly said.

The lump, newly discovered to be Sora, pulled the sheet down over its head.

Sora was lying on his back with his knees pulled to him, his head resting on one of the arms of the couch both boys were sitting - or laying - on. He knitted his eyebrows together with a frown upon his face, aimed towards Riku.

"This is all your fault!" Sora pointed a finger accusingly at the one sitting in front of his blanket-wrapped toes.

Riku placed both of his hands against his chest with splayed fingers, a surprised look on his face; trying to fain innocence. He then pointed a finger at Sora.

"_Me? _You **_jumped_** at me!" countered Riku.

The head of auburn hair disappeared underneath the blanket again.

"Fine," Sora snapped, defeated. "I won't hate you anymore if you get me something dry to wear."

The older one stood up, smirking.

"Oh, yes, Milord. I will return shortly with your order. Do not fret."

Sora pulled the blanket down just in time to see Riku over-dramatically bow. He offered a quiet 'thanks' and pulled the flannel cover more tightly around himself.

Riku walked swiftly towards his room, mumbling, "I don't know what I would've done if I stayed in there any longer with him…" He swore under his breath while digging through one of the many drawers in front of him.

'Hmmm… what would look good on him?'

Although both of them had, somewhat, grown, Sora had always stayed the shorter one.

'I guess that's what suits him best. He's always so… childish.'

"**RIKU!**"

Said person bumped his head against the dresser he was digging through in surprise.

"WHAAAT?" he called down the hallway. "Ow." He rubbed at where the accident had occurred. "What is it!" he yelled, frustrated.

"Well, uh…" Sora stumbled over his words, "I was wondering if you're done yet? I'm cold, and-"

"Sora?"

"…Yes?"

"Do you see me walking down the hallway?"

"Um… no?"

"Do you hear me walking down the hallway?"

"No…"

"Think, Sora, if I was done, would I still be where I am?"

"…"

"Don't think too hard, we don't want you to malfunction."

"Shut-up."

Riku paused.

"Then stop aggravating me when I'm trying to do something for you."

In the other room, Sora sunk deeper into the couch and waited with a scowl gracing his lips.

"Why don't you take off your clothing while I look for something?" Riku's voice floated down the hallway.

Sora snickered, "Am I _that _appealing to you? I knew I was good looking, but… Heh."

There was nothing after that comment.

"Riku, you Okay?"

Riku, in his room where Sora couldn't see, was staring down into a drawer of boxers. His eyes were glazed over with what looked like… was that, lust? He heard Sora ask something of him, but was so intent on concentrating on the thoughts that entered his head, that his conscience ignored the other boy. In reality, that is.

Long locks of hairs swayed back and forth as Riku shook his head to clear his mind.

"What was that, Sora?" he yelled after a few minutes of Sora's waiting.

"Oh, never mind."

Sora waved his hand in a dismissive manner to no one in particular as he picked himself up and walked towards the main floor's bathroom.

"I'm going to take a shower, mind if I use some of your things?" he questioned.

"No, it's fine," his friend replied.

Riku had found a random pair of underwear (he wasn't sure if Sora really wanted to wear them though…) and an older pair of light blue silk pajama bottoms he had never really worn. They had been a gift from Selphie one year, he recalled. She had said they matched his 'Super shiny hair!'. How she thought his hair to be blue, he didn't know.

He finally found the matching top and slid shut each of the drawers that were open.

At around the same times, Sora was stepping into the shower after having peeled off the soaked clothing that had been clinging to his small form. He let out a relieved sigh when warm water pelted against his bare skin. His hand groped for the bottle of shampoo placed on the sink's counter on the other side of the shower curtain.

"I know I put it… ah!"

He brought back the slender object, having succeeded in his search. The soaked boy then quirked an eyebrow at the label on the bottle.

"Scented? I didn't know Riku was into this kind of stuff."

He stared at it for a few more minutes, but then shook his head in amusement. His hand squeezed the container, trying to obtain some of the soapy liquid. He failed.

"Uh… maybe…"

He unscrewed the whole cap, and found a seal on the nozzle.

"Oh."

Sora peeled off the plastic cover, dropped the garbage on the sink's counter, and twisted the cap back on.

After having scrubbed the shampoo into his cinnamon locks, he leaned his head back under the torrent of water.

"Mmm…"

The water cascaded down his chest, slithering down his legs in trails, swirling in an almost dance-like fashion with the soap around the drain. Shivering as the flow of water stopped when he turned one the shower's knobs, he stepped out and wrapped a towel around his lithe form. Sora stood in front of the mirror above the sink, trying to use his fingers to comb through his hair. He didn't know why Riku accused him of being girly. He didn't spend that much time in the bathroom, did he?

'He's taking a long ti-'

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK_

"You done yet, Sora?" Riku spoke through the door.

"Oh, um, wait a sec," Sora replied.

He held the towel that was wrapped around his waist with one hand, the other reaching to open the door.

Riku waited patiently on the other side, holding the clothing he had chosen out for his friend. It wasn't until after the door clicked open, that his eyes nearly popped out. It was a good thing they were attached to the inside of his head.

"Thanks!" Sora chirped.

He dropped the pajamas down on the floor that Riku handed to him, and bent over to pick up his sea-drenched clothing a couple of feet away.

Riku gaped as the curve of Sora's waist slipped into view when the towel around it fell down a few inches. Still damp from his shower, the towel clung to Sora's behind; covered, but still in clear view.

Sora turned to his friend and put a hand back to his towel.

"Riku! Are you ok?" Sora worriedly asked.

Taking a few steps and leaning forward, he inspected Riku's face.

"Um…" Riku's head jerked and his eyes blinked. "Yeah, why?"

"Well," the towel-clad brunette grabbed some toilet paper from the roll near him, and continued, "for one thing, your nose is bleeding."

Sora was so intent on helping his friend, that he didn't notice the crimson staining Riku's face. At least, that's what Riku hoped. And, God, he was hoping _really_ hard.

Riku licked his lips. They had gone completely dry at the first encounter of the sight before him.

"It must be the dry weather. It's been so hot out lately. Except this morning, of course. That water was freezing! Here, just keep holding this, and don't lean your head back. If you've heard people say it helps, believe me, it doesn't. It made me feel… blech." He winced and stuck his tongue out, after having rambled for some time.

Riku licked his lips again, but did as Sora told him to - holding the toilet paper to his face.

"Um, well, I need to get dressed now, so-"

"Go ahead."

Sora looked at him awkwardly, and Riku immediately regretted what he had said.

'Oh, God, let's hope he didn't catch on to what I was really implying.'

Riku tried to cover up the mistake by finishing his statement: "I'll leave you to your privacy."

Closing the door, he traveled down the hall to one of the bigger rooms in his house. It was the same room that they had been in earlier, where Sora had taken refuge under his blanket. Riku plunked down onto the couch.

"TV it is, then."

A few minutes later, Sora walked in and sat down on the couch beside Riku.

Turning his head to his friend, Riku chuckled.

"What?" whined Sora.

He looked over at Riku who was then clicking the remote every so often, trying to find something decent to watch.

"Oh, it's nothing, just…" he stole a glance at the brunette out of the corner of his eyes, "sorry I couldn't find anything smaller. But, it's not my fault you're so short."

Sora's face scrunched up in what he was trying to make look like anger. It was hard for him, though. The 24-7 ray of smiles was used to portraying happiness.

"Eh, it's ok," he smiled and said, "they're comfy."

The remote clicked on until a sneeze broke the semi-silence.

"This side of the couch isn't dry." Sora rubbed at his nose and shivered. "Sorry I got it wet."

He kept on shivering.

"Don't worry about it." Riku looked over at his friend for what seemed like the thousandth time. "Here, come over here," he said.

Sora gained a confused expression, and wrapped his arms around himself.

"What?" he questioned.

Riku grabbed the rim of Sora's pajama bottoms with one hand; the other grabbed the upper sleeve of his top. Considering how light he was, he easily pulled Sora over.

Sora shook his head as he was pulled next to Riku and said, "Nonono. I'm ok! It's just a bit damp, and-" again he sneezed, "I'll be fi-"

It seemed like Sora had been interrupted more times within a few hours than he had ever before been in his entire life. First a cookie, then someone cutting him off verbally, and now it seemed that that same someone was placing him in their lap.

"Rikuuu, I said I'm fi…" he whined, but trailed off. "Hm, never mind."

Sora turned so his side was leaning against Riku, and he snuggled into the firm chest beside him.

"See? Don't I always have the best ideas?" Riku boasted.

The silver-haired teenager wrapped his arms around the shivering boy in his lap.

"I hope you're not getting sick," he spoke a bit more quietly.

Riku moved his hand up to Sora's forehead to check his temperature, pushing away the stray hair in front of his face. Up, down, up, down; his thumb stroked Sora's forehead in a soothing motion, trying to calm him. The body within his arms gradually stopped shaking and relaxed in his grasp.

Sora sniffed, "Idiot… why d'you have to be so warm…"

A smile quickly formed itself upon Riku's lips and he stopped moving his thumb. Instead, he dragged his fingers down the contours of the brunette's spine, massaging his back.

'Wait a second, did he just…'

His fingers repeated the motion they had moved in before, gaining a soft sound for their efforts. A… mewl?

Riku's facial expression could have been compared to something along the lines of 'Awww, that's adorable!', but he would never admit to that. And we know you wouldn't tell anyone, because if you did… well, let's just hope you have your will made out.

Sora's breathing turned into a soft melodic hum of even in and outs, and Riku leaned his cheek against his slumbering friend's head.

His last thoughts before slipping into unconsciousness, were:

'His hair… smells like…

Strawberries?'

* * *

TBC (To Be Continued!) 

**Poke': **So, um, yesh. That ish deh second chapter. Ohhh, deh fluff. I wilsh now shpeak shtrangely for no apparent reashon.

**Sora: **That's a lot of squiggly lines… they're all Christmassy-like!

**Poke':** o.o What?

**Sora: **You know! The lines below the incorrectly spelled words. You get them if you're using Microsoft Word. Like you do! And they're Christmassy, because they're red and green!

**Riku: **You have amazed me Sora.

**Sora: **I know. I'm stunning, aren't I?

**Riku: **No, that's not what I meant. I meant that I didn't know your vocabulary was large enough to use the word 'incorrectly'.

**Sora:** -glares-

**Riku: **I didn't say you weren't stunning! Heh Heh…

**Sora:** Really! You think I'm stunning?

**Poke': **He didn't say that either.

**Riku: **Shut up!

**Sora: **;-;

**Poke':** Well, before I get myself killed, I should probably go. To the land of magical chocolate pumpkins! Yayyy!

**Riku: **Right. That place is only real in your dreams.

**Sora: **Can I come too!

**Poke': **-sticks tongue out at Riku- Ha!

**Riku: **No! Sora! Stay with me!

**Sora:** But… the pumpkins… ah! It's too confusing!

**Riku:** Let me help you make up your mind…

Sora: What…?

**Riku:** -tackles Sora and tickles him-

**Sora:** Ahhh! No, mer…cy…!

**Poke':** I'll leave you two to your antics…

**Sora:** No you don't! –Grabs Poke''s ankle-

**Poke': **Damn it! No! –Falls over-

**Sora: **HA! Ha… he he… Riku!

**Poke': **Well, R&R! Pleeease? They make me so happy! Because I have nothing else to look forward to… except chocolate! And Pumpkins! Except, I have to wait until October for pumpkins, and I ran out of chocolate. Oh, the sorrow!

**Riku: **I TRIUMPH! –Continues to tickle Sora-


	3. Those Damn Shorts

**Caged Thoughts**

**Chapter Three: _Those Damn Shorts._**

**Warning: **This fanfic contains Shonen-Ai, no Yaoi… yet. Maybe. Possibly. Sorta kinda. I dunno.

PS: Someone tell me, when is something rated Yaoi, instead of Shonen-ai? Just, when exactly does it cross the line? I'm pretty sure I'm not that far, so far. At least, I hope I'm not. o.o;;

**Disclaimer: **This is the part where I talk about the stuff that isn't mine. So… there are a lot of things that aren't mine, but I'll only speak of things related to Kingdom Hearts, Square-Enix/Soft, Disney, the Final Fantasy series, and how I don't own anything having to do with them business-wise and junk. Oh… wait… by listing them off and saying… I just… ugh, forget it.

**Reviews: **

BisexualBuddha: Eh-Heh, thank you! You know what makes me happy? Your reviews, and me knowing you like my fanfic! Are they really that in character? Riku was a pervert in the second chapter. X3 Oh! And speaking of the second chapter, sorry I didn't respond to your review then, it's just that I got it in meh inbox _after_ I put the second chapter in.

Gehkiie: -sniff- Really? You'll follow me that far? What if I… jumped into a pot of boiling molasses! Would you follow me then? Sorry it took me so long to update… Xx

I've been having some stupid arguments with meh parents, and it's mostly all settled, for now at least. You know, of course, you could just blame it on the hormones. That always works. To your other comment: REALLY? ARE YOU SERIOUS? YOU CAN GET ME THOSE THINGS! I'd love you so much if you could (Although, I literally _just_ ordered the box set of Gravitation, and the Kingdom Hearts CD on so, you can take that off of your 'what to get Poke'-Sama' list)! I wanna dress up in a man-skirt like Riku. X3! A friend and I were arguing the other day over that… whether or not it was a man-skirt, or a tailcoat. He hasn't even played the game before. I said, "If it's a coat, it would cover all of his upper half!" So he said, "But it's a tail coat. It's called a tail coat, because it only covers the bottom half of you. Your 'tail'." And I argued, "But, if it only covers your, '_tail_', as you put it, why would you call it a coat?" "I don't know!" he yelled.

And so the conversation ended… Until he started poking me with a ruler in the thigh. And now I have a cut on my leg from his metal ruler, we had to stay after class after we had a meter-stick fight. Also, our science teacher is now afraid of putting us in seats next to each other... –Shifty eyes- He started it!

Woah… -looks up- I made that review response really long.

**Note:**

If you didn't pay attention to my second review response… I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been having some arguments between my parents and I, and I've been all angsty lately, too. It's sort of hard to write more of a humor fanfic when you're angsty, y'know? I had an idea to turn this into a depressing/angsty and romance fanfic, but I wasn't sure the drastic change would work so well with the little readers I have. I don't want to lose you guys! ; Although, if I did, it may actually start to develop some sort of plot.

**Thoughts: 'Blah.'**

**Speech/talking: "Blah."**

**

* * *

**

"Have you seen Riku or Sora today?"

"Ummm… nope!" Selphie leaned her head over the side of the dock, looking at her feet. "Why?"

"Well…" Kairi paused for a moment in thought. "It's not like either of them to miss _this_ much of the day. Sora… I could make an exception, but," she laughed, "it's… what, around 3:00PM? And Riku, well, I don't think he's the type to snore the day away. At least… I don't _think_ he is."

Selphie turned towards her friend and cocked her head to the side in a confused manner.

"I don't know what I'm talking about. I tend to ramble, don't I?" Kairi fell backwards so she had her eyes to the sky.

"Well, I wasn't really paying attention anyways." Kairi sighed, but Selphie continued cheerfully as ever, "I don't see why you're worrying over them. I'm sure they're fine. Prob'ly playing by themselves…" She smirked.

Kairi glanced over at her friend worriedly. This time, for her own safety. Whenever Selphie took on that look, chaos soon ensued. She hoped to the Gods that, this time, she wouldn't be a part of it. Of course, that didn't mean that they were paying attention…

"Well, you want to go find them?" Kairi asked.

"Sure, I guess… It's too bad, I just got comfortable," mumbled Selphie as she picked herself up lazily.

The both of them walked across the dock, and they saw Tidus approaching them.

"Hey guys," he greeted, "what's up?"

"We're looking for Riku and Sora!" Selphie chirped, happy at the new arrival.

"I haven't seen them all day, I'm just curious about where they might be," Kairi explained.

"Well…" Tidus thought for a few moments. "I heard some yelling pretty early in the morning. It almost sounded like Sora, but I'm not quite sure, y'know? I was half-asleep 'cause it was around four or five or six… I can't remember."

Selphie's face scrunched up in concentration. "Where do you think they went?"

"What do you mean?" Kairi and Tidus chorused in unison.

"Well, if it was Sora, I'm sure he wouldn't 've been yelling for no reason. But, he is Sora, and… you never know. I'm just saying, he must've been with someone. And… unless he was with Wakka, - which I doubt, 'cause Wakka's a lazy bum and wouldn't be up that early – I'd hafta think that he'd of been with Riku." Finished her hypothesis, Selphie found both of her friends with a hand on their chins, looking at the ground, pondering in thought.

"Well!" Tidus suddenly exclaimed, surprising Kairi, "speaking of Wakka, I have to go. I promised him a game of Blitz Ball." He rubbed the back of his head and smiled sheepishly.

"N'kay, we'll keep looking. Thanks for the help." Kairi smiled in gratitude.

"Awww, poo." Selphie's lower lip jutted out in a pout. "Why can't you stay with me, Tidu_sss?"_

"I'm leaving the both of you, not just you."

Selphie giggled. "You sound like some guy who's breaking up with his girlfriend… s… girlfriends."

Tidus shook his head and snickered, "Why would someone have two girlfriends? And what if I'm _gay? _I've never told you what kind of gender I like."

"EEE! ARE YOU? AREYOUAREYOUAREYOU? That would be so cute! Who do you like! _Wakka?" _Selphie squealed.

"WHAT? NO! DON'T THINK UP STUPID THINGS LIKE THAT! I DON'T LIKE WAKKA!"

"Why not?"

Kairi stopped her laughter, Selphie refrained from her questioning (at the moment), and Tidus just basically jumped around. The sudden intrusion on his arguing had scared him.

"Why not?" Wakka asked again, with an almost desperate look on his face. He shifted and tucked the Blitz ball he had been holding in front of him, to under his arm.

"Oh, I, uh… no! I… I didn't mean that, I mean- um, you see…" Tidus stuttered, trying to regain his composure. His cheeks were flushed from the previous anger Selphie had brought up, and from the embarrassment he was trying desperately to hide.

Selphie started giggling, and pointed at Tidus. Wakka was still looking a bit down, but it was hard to be sad when you were fricken' confused out of your mind.

"Agh…" Tidus covered his face with his hands. "Never mind, I didn't mean that I hate you, Wakka. Selphie was just confusing me with her stupid… hyper-confusie-ness."

"Ah, right. I can understand that, man." Smiling one of those big grins, Wakka walked closer to Tidus and punched him in the arm playfully. "So, what happened to that game of Blitz ball? You promised me one, ya?"

"Right… I was just trying to shake off these two. That one," Tidus paused and pointed a finger over at Selphie, but said, "is like a leech. A leech using super-glue."

Laughing, Wakka bopped Tidus on the head with the blue-striped ball and Selphie once again pouted.

"Well, come on, man! Let's go! I've been waiting for way more than I should have to. Selphie is no excuse, ya?"

"Yeah yeah yeah… I'm comin'." Drawled Tidus. He let himself get dragged away by Wakka, waving his goodbyes to the two girls left behind.

"So, what now?" Kairi finally decided to speak.

Selphie triumphantly pointed a finger in some random direction.

"To Riku's house! Tally-ho!"

Kairi asked, "Why Riku's house? Didn't Tidus say he heard Sora this morning?"

"Ee-ye_sss_. But, if Sora _was_ outside this morning, then he wouldn't have been in his house at that time, right?"

"But-"

"And also, I think Riku still has some of those pretzels I really like in his pantry…"

Rolling her eyes, Kairi reluctantly followed the ever-exuberant Selphie. When was she not happy? Oh, right, when she was scheming. Of course, at those times, she was just being mischievous.

'More like down right evil,' Kairi snorted.

And so, they walked hand in hand (ok, not really, more like Selphie almost dislocating Kairi's arm out of its socket in the process of pulling her down the path) towards their destination. Riku's house…

And it didn't take them that long to get there.

* * *

Sora groaned.

Someone had been banging on his front door for a few minutes, but he was so comfortable that he didn't want to move. His mom would just get it soon anyways.

_Bang bang bang!_

His sheets were gone… he must've kicked them off in his sleep. Why was he so warm then?

_BANG BANG BANG!_

Wait a second, what was that smell?

Still half-asleep, Sora tried to concentrate on the scent invading his senses.

'I know that smell…' he _tried_ to think, '…Riku?'

**_BANG BANG BANG!_**

Squirming, Sora mumbled, "Uhnnn… shaddup… stoopid door…"

He heard a deep chuckle come from above him, and turned his head to look up at the source of the sound.

Voicing his previous thoughts, he again mumbled, "Ri… ku? What are you doin' in… in mah house? And… in my bed to-"

A window opened (Sora was faintly aware of the breeze coming through it), and Selphie scrambled in.

"Ah-HA! Now, fear me. For I will not rest until the pretzels are under my contr-" She cut herself off in mid-sentence when her eyes met the sight on the couch. "Awww…"

"Wha… a? Why are…" Sora rubbed at his eyes. "-Why are you in my room, too, Selphie?"

"What are you talking about? Are you still asleep? Stupid-head," chuckled Riku, again.

Yawning and arching his back to the likeness of a cat, the events of what had happened that morning slowly but surely came back to him. Sora sat there for a few more minutes, blinking a couple times as everyone looked at him. Everyone but Kairi.

'Where is that girl?' wondered Selphie.

"Selphie! Help me in!" Kairi yelled. Without the same energy Selphie had, it was a little more difficult for her to get up and over the windowsill. Never mind reach it.

'Oh, right, still outside.' Selphie mentally laughed.

Selphie glanced towards the window and said, "Ah, be back in a sec, guys!"

"Wa… ter? I fell… and, came to your house? Shower… your clothes… sleep…"

Sleep was starting to sound very good then. Sora was still tired from losing all the sleep, he had just remembered, he had lost that morning. Thoughts still foggy from exhaustion, he leaned sideways and curled up against the person whose lap he was in.

Lap… he was… in…

"RIKU?"

It seemed like sleep wouldn't claim him until later.

"That's my name, don't wear it out. Ok, well, actually, you can say it as many times as you want. It's quite a beautiful name you know… Riku." Riku smirked. "But that's only because it's mine."

Sora blushed.

"Ah, sorry I fell asleep… there. I was really tired, you know? It was early, and," he stretched and yawned, "I like my sleep."

"Don't apologize, it was fine." Riku stood up and straightened his pants just as Selphie pulled Kairi through the window. "Besides, it's not like I didn't enjoy it."

'_Enjoy_ it?' Sora repeated in his mind.

"So!" Kairi huffed, "you two were here! And I was all worried…"

"You don't need to worry about me, I'm fine on my own. But, this klutz…" Riku jabbed a finger in Sora's direction. "He got himself sick this morning when he decided to take a swim."

"A **SWIM**? That leap was more of an act of defense! Well, maybe not defense, you were just asking for it!"

"Enough! Stop it!" Selphie stomped her foot. "You were all cozy before, but of course, now that we're here you can't be nice! It's so obvious."

Sora blinked.

"What is?" Sora asked.

"See? He _is_ a stupid-head… and a klutz," Riku pointed out, much to the displeasure of Selphie. She knew what would come next…

"NO I'M NOT!" Sora was the one to then stomp his foot.

"SHUT-UP!" Selphie's yell resonated through the house.

Sora cowered and Riku just stared at Selphie nonchalantly with arms crossed.

Finally having their attention, Selphie gave out her orders. "Sora, just ignore Riku. Riku, stop irritating Sora." Short, but simple.

"Well, what now?" Kairi interjected.

Grabbing Kairi's arm - "PRETZELS OF COURSE!" – Selphie dragged her into Riku's kitchen through the doorway at the side of the room.

Sora stuck his tongue out at Riku; he was happy Selphie - sort of - had taken his side.

"Watch where you point that thing…" Riku used his index finger to poke Sora's tongue back into its original safekeeping. "You never know where it may end up."

He smirked when Sora, once again, was confused. It was so funny to watch him like this…

"Found 'em!" yelled Selphie between her munching. "These things are so good…"

"So, are we going to do anything today? Anything that we could do at…" Kairi checked her wristwatch. "3:37 PM?"

"How 'bout… we go make sandcastles!" suggested Sora.

Groans came from Kairi and Riku, but Selphie jumped at the idea.

"We can make a really big one, right?"

"Yep! And maybe make some little flags out of sticks and-"

"Paper towels! Or napkins! Or whatever they're called!"

"Good idea!"

"Oooh, what about turrets? And towers, too!"

"Maybe a dungeon!"

"Nooo… dun wanna hurt the poor innocent people."

"We're gonna make sand people?"

"Yep!"

"Can I make a dragon, too?"

"Yep!"

"C'mon, Riku, let's go!" Sora grabbed Riku's upper arm and tried pulling him towards the front door.

Selphie did the same to Kairi, and they were on their wa-

"Sora."

Well, maybe they'd leave later.

"Yep?"

Riku cleared his throat. "Do you always walk around outside in pajamas that aren't your own?"

"Not normally- oh. Right." Sora grinned sheepishly. "Well, I don't want to go outside in these, and I don't have any clean clothing, do I?"

"Not yet, your clothes are still in the washing machine. They're probably clean, just not dry yet."

"Hmmm… could one of you guys run over to my house and get something for me?" Sora glanced around.

Selphie scrunched up her face, "Ewww. I'm not digging through _your_ underwear."

"Hey!" Sora pouted. "What's wrong with _my_ underwear? As you put it so nicely."

"They probably have rocket ships all over them." The brown-haired girl burst out laughing.

Sora's face gained a brilliant shade of red. "They do not! I _think_…"

"Just ignore her, Sora. Even if there are rocket ships on your underwear, I'm quite sure they're awesome rocket ships." Kairi giggled at Riku's input on the matter. "Bringing us back to the topic of actually getting somewhere… I have some shorts you left here a while ago. But, when I say a while ago, I mean a while ago. I'm not sure if they're too small for you."

"I doubt it," Selphie snorted, "Sora hasn't grown, and never will grow, an inch taller."

"HEY! I-"

"C'mon, you first graders. Sora, come with me, I need help finding them. It's been a while." Riku started towards his room, Sora begrudgingly trailing behind.

"So… which ones are they?"

"What?" replied Riku.

"The shorts; I have a few pairs, it's not like they're all the same ones in different sizes."

"Ouch, that cut me deep. Almost a negative one on the 'you're making me feel stupid' scale."

"Shut-up."

Into Riku's room Sora stomped, and patiently waited for him to finish looking.

"Well? Aren't you going to help me? I didn't ask you to come in here to just stand there. Although I'm sure you're very good at it, it's not helping," Riku stated.

Resorting to moving his hand in a way that mimicked Riku's mouth (trying to get the last 'word'), Sora walked over to the cabinet his friend was already sifting through.

"You didn't tell me which shorts they were. How am I supposed to know what I'm looking for?"

Riku glanced up from his work for a moment, and said, "My style isn't quite like yours, 'Mr. Rocket-Ship-Underwear', so it shouldn't be that hard to find them." Sora raised a finger in objection, but Riku beat him to it, "they're the ones with the blue flames up the edges, remember?"

"Ah, ok. I know those…" Sora started digging through the folded clothing, not caring whether or not any of it was put back in order. "Found them! Jeeze, maybe these _are_ a bit small."

"If you wear any of my pants, other than those PJs, they'll probably fall off before you can get to the front door," Riku pointed out.

'Not that that would be a bad thing…' he thought and chuckled.

Sora looked up when he heard his friend's amusement. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing." Riku waved his hands around, dismissing the subject. "Go on, hurry up and get changed. I want to get this sand-castle-making over with."

"N'kay."

* * *

A few minutes later, Sora came out of the bathroom with his shorts, and a shirt Riku lent him, on. The shorts - as Riku had said, they had blue flames down the sides - went down to a few inches above his knees. They weren't tight around the sides, but since they were from so long ago, they were a bit… shorter, than Sora remembered.

"Ahhh, I dunno guys…" Uneasily, Sora grabbed the bottom of the shirt he was wearing, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Nonsense!" Selphie snipped, "they look fine! C'mooon, I wanna go make some sandcastles!"

"Fine, fine."

Selphie skipped towards the door and opened it for the group, and they all walked merrily to the beach, each for their own reason. Selphie was excited about the sandcastle making, Kairi was just happy to spend time with her friends… but Riku and Sora were a different story. Sora, still unsure of the shorts adorning his hips, was walking unsteadily onward. Of course, this caught Riku's attention. What didn't, when it came to Sora? He was quite happy about his luck that day. First, seeing Sora wet; second, seeing Sora wet a second time, but half-naked; third, being able to hold Sora; fourth, falling asleep with Sora; and now: fifth, being able to catch many a glimpse of those nice thighs of his…

He hoped his luck would continue.

* * *

**Poke':** You're such a pervert.

**Riku: **Hey! You're the authoress! You're making me think and do these things!

**Poke': **What if this has actually happened? What if I'm writing a biography on the past events of your life!

**Riku:** Then, it wouldn't be fiction. And it's not a biography anyways.

**Poke': **Whatever. Anyways, did you guys notice how there were other characters in this chapter! Other than Riku and Sora! Yayyy. I guess…

**Sora:** I never knew I had shorts like that.

**Poke':** He must've stolen them when you weren't looking. He must be one of those people who worship the possessions of the people they love/are obsessed with.

**Sora: **o.O;

**Riku: **I am not! One of those people that you said I was… I mean… or… something…

**Poke':** Also… another possible minor pairing in this chapter! I've actually NEVER thought about them being together, it seemed a bit strange, to me. Wakka and Tidus! And guess what! For this chapter, I didn't write any of it out on paper! It was all done on the computer. So, yep. A change.

**Tidus: **Why did you put me in that embarrassing situation with Wakka? X

**Poke': **Woah, where'd you come from?

**Tidus: ** -looks around- I'm not sure.

**Poke': **Well, my throat's killing me because I'm sick, so I must depart. Sorry this took so long, guys. Although, this chapter is a bit longer than the others. ;;

**Sora: **Now we're both sick. You because… of something, and me 'cause Riku made me sick.

**Riku:** What!

**Sora:** You didn't _have_ to have dodged when I jumped at you!

**Riku: **--;

**Poke': **Read and -cough- Review! Please! Even if you already have, and you want to give your input for this chapter, it's ok! You don't need to review only once! X3

See that purpleish blueish button down on the bottom left? Click it! It's… um… majickalz! Yeah, um, majickalz.


	4. And So the Planning Begins

**Caged Thoughts**

**Chapter Four: _And So The Planning Begins._**

**Warning: **This fanfic contains Shonen-ai. No Yaoi has been detected, but in the near future, some leakage may occur, and Yaoi may spill forth. _BEWARE, _and have a nice day. :D

**Disclaimer:** Ok! -breaks down- I… I admit it! I don't own anything in relation to (business-wise) Kingdom Hearts, the Final Fantasy Series, Disney, Square Enix/Soft… or -sniff-, or… CHOCOLATE! Oh, wait, I actually think I made my own chocolate once…

**Reviews:**

SugarHighHiei: I know… that would never happen. Riku just loves poking fun at Sora, in this fic or in the game, he always does/did. But, we all know it's only because he loves seeing Sora get fired up.

Reina-183: Thanks! I'm glad you like it. Or maybe… you're just saying it's good, but aren't admitting it yourself? And you actually _HATE_ it? Oh well. D I hope to update soon. That is, if writers' block doesn't come to visit again.

Praetor: Wow, two reviews in one day? Also, thanks. For the comment on my humor, I mean. I can be quite serious at times though… see? -scrunches up face and frowns-

…

-sneezes, bursts out laughing-

No, seriously, I can be.

To the Tidus and Wakka thing: I know! It seemed so strange to me at first, for some reason (Maybe because we don't see much of them in Kingdom Hearts, and I haven't played any of the Final Fantasy games… I know! It's so sad. I'm just worried I wouldn't understand the plot if I started it at FF 12), but when I started getting the idea, it seemed more natural as I wrote… typed it out. –shrugs- I dunno. Anyways, maybe we'll see some Wakis in our near future. 'Wakis'… Heh.

Gehkiie: AGH! -shakes fist- I envy you. I envy you with a rage that is comparable to a strawberry. 'Cause… they're red. And rage is normally symbolized by the colour red. You know what I mean, right?

-slowly turns around- OMFG!wonone111 IT'S A STALKER! Oh, wait, that's a chair…

**Note:**

O.O

MY STUFF CAME IN! I'm so happy. Weee! I am now the proud owner of all four of the Gravitation DVDs made for the series (I still need to find the OVAs…), and the collector's box! So I can put them all in… and make them all nice and organized… unlike my room. Well, it's not that bad, compared to my friend's rooms. o-o;;

I also got the Kingdom Hearts Soundtrack! It rocks! But, I was so sad to find out it didn't have the 'One Winged Angel' song on it. I watched all of the DVDs yesterday. 325 minutes of Gravitation straight. Now my right eye is twitching. -twitch, twitch-

**Narration: Lalala. This is the narration.**

**Thoughts: 'Blurble.'**

**Speech/Talking: "Blurble Number Two."**

**

* * *

**

About an hour had passed since the group had made it to their destination, and as planned, the Sandcastle-making had commenced. Kairi had gotten tired of it after a half hour, and went to go sit down and watch. Selphie joined her soon after, but seemed much more intent on watching their two other friends.

"Selphie…?" Kairi asked, leaning over to get a better view of said person's face.

"Hn." Selphie replied shortly. She continued to watch Riku and Sora, who were then wrestling with each other on the ground.

"You're pretty quiet…" She turned her head in the direction Selphie was looking in.

"Ok, that's it, I can't stand it anymore. Kairi, come with me." Selphie grabbed Kairi's wrist with both hands, and pulled her up in one tug. She swiftly led her away from the other two, yelling back at them that they were going to talk about 'girl stuff'.

* * *

"What did she say?" Sora questioned from underneath Riku. 

"Something about going to talk, I don't know. I think she's bored with us," replied Riku. "Now… what happened to that declaration of surrender?"

Sora's face scrunched up. "I'm _not_ saying those things! I can't believe how arrogant you are some… tim-" Sora trailed off in the middle of his sentence as Riku started tickling him again. "No-ah Ha… Haha… HAHA-he… ha… Ri- Haha…ku!"

The two had been tumbling around on the ground previous to then for a while, resulting in a thin layer of sand covering the both of them. Riku, of course, had gained the advantage and was now straddling Sora's waist in an attempt to keep him pinned. It had all started with a comment on how one of Riku's turrets was made a little sloppily… and that led to the massive attack on Sora's vulnerable sides. Or, anywhere else Riku knew he was ticklish.

Sora strained to say something in-between his giggling, "HahaheHA… RIK- HAHAHA -U!"

Nonchalantly, Riku brought his eyes up from viewing his hands - which were paused above the bare part of Sora's stomach, his shirt had moved up a bit during the struggle - to meet Sora's own sapphire-blue ones. "Yes?"

"Fine. _Fine._ I'll say it," Sora sighed, then drawled on, "Riku, your strength: not comparable to anyone's; your agility: swifter are you than a fox; your intelligence: almighty to that nerd in Math class; and… you're…"

"_Yesss?_"

Sora grabbed his shirt, tried pulling it over his face, and mumbled into it.

"What was that? I didn't quite hear you." Riku poked a finger at Sora's bare side, and gained a slight twitch in response.

He mumbled again, a bit louder.

Riku smirked. "I'm sorry, you're going to have to speak up."

Sora cracked.

"YOU'RE THE **SEXIEST** PERSON IN THE **UNIVERSE!**"

Of the few people walking or running about, doing their daily errands or whatever else it was they did in the afternoon, all of them turned to the source of the yelling. Sora was thoroughly embarrassed. Most of them just shook their heads and kept on walking, recognizing the two, but of the few that didn't, just left it alone with confused looks on their faces.

"Why…" Riku leaned back a bit, still straddling Sora, and placed both hands crossed on his chest. "I am flattered."

Replacing his shirt with a hand, Sora shook his head and sighed. "Can I get up now?" He propped himself up on his elbows and tried pulling his lower half out from under his captor.

"I don't know…" Riku purred. Slowly leaning in, he used his hands to 'walk' himself closer.

Sora squeaked and his arms collapsed to lie at his sides.

Riku hovered his face over Sora's own blushing one- "You're quite…" –and then fully draped - or more like flopped - himself over Sora. His arms snaked themselves around Sora's shoulders, and his head found its way into the left crevice of his neck. "…Comfortable."

Rolling his eyes, Sora sighed again. "Riku! I wanna get up! C'mon…" he whined and struggled to get out from underneath the other lazy teen, "muuu… Riku!"

"Mhmmm?" Riku spoke against the side of Sora's neck.

"Get…" He lifted his left knee up and used both hands to push Riku off of him. "OFF!"

"Oomph." Well, it had worked… partially. Riku's body was off of Sora's, but his arms were still latched onto him. They were now around his neck.

"ARGH! RIKU!" Sora screeched in annoyance.

Riku mumbled into the sand he was lying in, "Yephsh?"

"I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM!"

"Mhmm- Oh! Uh… go in the bushes or something." Riku scrambled to get up and let his friend free. He hoped he would make it in time…

"No!" Sora blushed profusely. "I'm not going in clear daylight… I'll… Be right back!" He made an attempt to run, but it looked more like he was imitating a _familiar_ duck's way of moving. It was more humorous than attractive.

Riku shook his head.

Although, to Riku, Sora's humorous traits were also attractive.

* * *

"Selphie!" Kairi dug her heels into the ground and they both stopped moving. "What are you doing?" 

Selphie sighed. "I'll tell you in a minute. C'mon." She started a rigorous climb up the ladder of the watchtower - of which, Kairi had just noticed, they had stopped in front of.

The auburn-haired girl followed suit, and they both eventually made it to the top. Kairi sat down on the left side, leaning against the makeshift 'wall' of boards, and Selphie sat on the opposite side with her legs hanging over the edge.

The silence was broken by Kairi's impatience. "So…?"

"Ok, well… I have a plan. Now, it's going to take a lot of work… ok, maybe not work, we're just going to have to be careful about it," Selphie concluded.

"Um… ok-"

"And the way I see it, it shouldn't take that long to finish either. At least, I'm hoping that's how it'll work out. They're so obvious and-"

"Obviously not… obvious enough for me to notice," Kairi mumbled. She cut in on Selphie's rambling, "Selphie, I have no idea about what you're talking about."

"-so, then we could… oh. Really? You're serious?"

"Yes… is that a bad thing?"

"I just thought it was… you've never noticed what's going on between Riku and Sora? Sora may not know it himself yet, but still…"

"For the last time, no! I have no idea of what you're talking about!"

Selphie sighed. Again. "Ok, well, I'll explain…"

And so, a scheme began to form between the two girls.

…

Well, maybe it was more of a 'Selphie-telling-Kairi-what-to-do/telling-her-what-_she_-was-going-to-do' thing.

* * *

The flush of a toilet was heard through the door of Riku's bathroom. 

Luckily, Sora had made it in time without ruining his clothing. If you know what I mean…

The bush option, as Sora had stated earlier, had not been taken. Instead, he had run to the closest house he knew the owner of. And that house was Riku's.

"Do I need to wash your clothes again? Or did you actually make it in time?" asked Riku smugly.

Strike one.

Sora punched him in the arm and walked over to the couch. He grabbed the remote and sat down, watching the light of the TV screen signal that it had been turned on.

Riku slowly strode over to the couch. "The weather channel? We were just outside. Are you that oblivious?"

Sora twitched.

Strike two.

"No… I'm checking what time it is."

Riku smirked. "That's what a clock's for. See? I have many of them spread throughout my house." Spreading his arms he glanced towards a few of the clocks he had just mentioned.

And that was it. Strike three.

As Riku continued to insult, mock, poke fun at, and whatever else involved gaining Sora's annoyance, he didn't quite notice the leg stuck out just out of his line of vision. He did notice it, though, when he tripped over it. Falling through the air, he flailed his arms in a not so I'm-Riku-And-I'm-Ever-So-Graceful-And-Strong manner. The floor, the floor, the floor… there had been many options for him to choose to fall upon. That didn't mean gravity took him there, though.

"Pfff, Sora, you're so- Wha… AHHH!"

And there was silence.

…

Silence; two sets of very wide eyes.

Sora had immediately regretted tripping Riku as soon as he saw him coming, but now that he was in this position, he couldn't think, feel, or do anything. Ok, scratch that second part. He was definitely feeling embarrassed.

Contentment? Ease, peace, satisfaction… pleasure? What was that emotion that was clearly being shown through those eyes of his?

His eyes… Riku could drown in those eyes. A blue of the heavens, the sky, as fitting to his name. No, his eyes were even clearer than that. He didn't know what he could compare them to. If only he could call the person belonging to those eyes, his. But where had those eyes gone now? Oh, right, eyelids. Humans had eyelids. Riku was thinking about using his just about then, too. And so, he did.

The stumble had been quite an accident, but, what of the fall? What of the space closed between the two? Was it a mere coincidence? Chance? Also an accident? Or, was it… fate? Destiny, maybe?

"…_and we should be getting a slight drizzle sometime around 11PM…" _

The TV slowly brought Sora back to reality.It was then that Sora realized what was happening, what he was doing, what Riku was doing… he jumped up.

"I… I'm s-sorry! I didn'- I shouldn't have- I'm sorry!"

He raced for the door just as Riku came to his senses.

"No, Sora! Wait! I-"

SLAM 

Riku winced. The door had been opened and closed. And not just the one attached to the front of the house. Another door had opened and closed, the door of opportunity.

Although… that didn't mean it was the only one. There were still a few left open.

* * *

FWUMP! 

The bed made a soft muffled noise as Sora collapsed onto it.

'I can't believe I… I'm so stupid. I shouldn't have tripped him.'

He touched a finger to his lips. The tingling feeling was still there.

'Itwasjustanaccidentitwas**just**anaccidentitwas**_just_**anaccident…'

But, really. He was only trying to convince himself. Who else would be listening to his thoughts?

'Why didn't he pull away? Why didn't _I_ pull away?'

He couldn't believe the kiss had happened. He didn't really know if it was considered a kiss, seeing how it was an 'accident'. Well, whatever the case, it was his first… had it been Riku's first?

He shook his head.

"Riku. Riku, Riku, **Riku**. Riku, **RIKU**-Riku. _Riku_,** Riku**, Riku."

No matter how many times he said it, it would always be the same. Amazing. Wonderful. Well, actually… indescribable.

'No.'

He changed his mind.

'He's always different, always surprising… but, always the same…'

"Urgh…" the cinnamon-haired boy moaned and clutched his head. Crawling underneath the many blankets covering his bed, he curled up as tightly as he could. "No more thinking. If Riku comes over, he's gonna want to talk to me…"

'He can't talk to me if I'm sleeping…'

And so, being his naïve self, Sora slowly drifted asleep, dreaming of a certain silver-haired someone in many situations of confusion.

* * *

**Poke': **Well, I've been having a MAJOR writers block. So, that didn't really help at all with this chapter. Also, I've been working on an art portfolio for my Art class, and I really got into it… seeing how I put Riku and Sora on it. No Shonen-ai or Yaoi, though. Maybe VERY minor hints as to the fact that Riku may have loved Sora (in the plot I sort of created in my mind, to go with the pictures). Riku's face turned out crap. Now I'm mad. I tried experimenting with the eyes a bit too…

**Riku:** Do they care? This is fanfiction, not fanart.

**Poke':** Shut up!

**Sora:** -points at Poke'-

**Poke':** -turns around- Wha…?

**Sora:** -waves pointed finger around at Poke's back- What happened to your hair?

**Poke':** Oh… right. That. -turns back around- I tipped my hair black! My hair's really long by the way, if anyone cares. At least… that's what people tell me. They say 'get a hair cut, Poke'!' Except, instead of saying 'Poke'', they'd say my real name. For now, I won't give that out. :3

**Riku:** It looks like someone lit it on fire and put it out a second later.

**Poke':** No it doesn't! Actually, I think it sort of looks like a fox's tail… 'cept, it's a dirty-blonde fox's tail. Not an orange fox's tail. You know, because I don't have orange hair, I have…

**Sora:** You're rambling.

**Poke':** Oh, right. -dusts herself off- Sorry. Anyways, _please_, Read (of which you've already probably done, if you're reading this right now) and Review! R & R! They really boost my morale and give me a boost on my writing, 'cause they make me happy:D

**Riku:** It still looks like someone lit it on fire…

**R & R! R &R! R & R! R & R! R &R! R & R! R & R! R &R! R & R! R & R!  
**

…

_Pleeease?_


	5. Pressing Pause

**Caged Thoughts**

**Chapter Five:**_ **Setting Life on Pause.**_

**Warning:** This contains Shonen-ai and maybe some Yaoi. Well, not this chapter really, just… whatever. It will in the future… and stuff.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Disney, Square Enix… yadda, yadda, yadda.

**Reviews:**

Gehkiie: Yep! I should really start focusing more on the fanfic though, and less on the Author's note/my social life, shouldn't I? NOOO! RIKU! WHAT WILL I DO WITHOUT MY WEEKLY/DAILY/SOMETIME ANNOYING RIKU TIME?

Praetor: Yeah… I meant for the kiss part to be like that on purpose, sorry if that was misleading. And thanks!

Anonymous (ONG!11 YOU HAV NO IDENTITIEZESEHNESS): Um… ok!

Chiyosuke: Ee-yep. Riku's a pervert. But, seriously, who could withstand not glomping Sora? I'm sure Riku would die without his daily-dose of cinnamon-haired-dunce.

AlexTHeHOpeless: Ok! Don't hurt me! DX

.Em.violet.: Awww, crap! Not you! Do you know how embarrassing this is? DX Well, thanks for your review, and I'm trying to update… I've been semi-busy. I've also been more nocturnal than normal, considering we have two weeks off.

**Note:**

And here's the part where I apologize for not updating for a long time. Well, I'm sorry. DX

It's just that I've not been allowed on the computer all that much, and when I do get on, it's for a limited amount of time. At least I'm not giving up on Caged Thoughts forever! I mean, waiting for a while and getting something is better than just nothing, right?

**Narration: Oh my God, it's the narration. Be amazed.**

**Thoughts: 'LOOK! I'M THINKING!'**

**Speech/Talking: "Why the Hell would I want to talk to you? I never have and never wi… oh, wait, I just did now, didn't I? …Shut-up!"**

**

* * *

**

"Sora, come on down. It's time for dinner!" Violet worriedly yelled from the bottom of the staircase.

Sora groaned.

"I don't want to get up…" he mumbled.

But he had to. At least, that's what his stomach was telling him. He hadn't eaten since that morning, and cookies weren't really a filling nor healthy meal.

"Sora!"

He turned his head to yell at the door and started flipping covers off his body. "Yes! I'm coming!" Standing up, he groggily walked through the doorway to his room, and made his way to the top of the stairs. His eyes slowly made the trail of looking at each stair; his mind deciding the rest of his body was too lazy for the trip down. Instead, he sat down, used his hands to get himself moving, and thumped down the stairs. With a final 'thump', his bottom hit the… well, bottom, and he looked up and over to the kitchen.

"Eep!" Eyes wide, his hands reached to cover his mouth quickly in a vain attempt to stop himself from attracting any attention.

There, sitting on one of the few stools seated around the kitchen's island bar, was the one person he had earlier been trying to escape. Riku.

Violet bustled around the kitchen in an apron, setting plates down in a somewhat organized matter. Glancing over in Sora's direction, she called happily, "C'mon, I made chicken and potatoes!"

Mouth trying to crack a smile, Sora walked over, his hands nervously twitching at his sides, and sat himself down on a stool across the table from Riku. His eyes tried to avoid any contact with his friend's, so they instead focused on the plate just being placed in front of him. Of which… was full of food.

"Food!" Sora exclaimed suddenly and grinned. He dug in with a force only he could muster, his hunger ever-but-surely subsiding.

Violet laughed, "Well, someone was hungry."

Riku chuckled and turned to the woman, saying, "I wouldn't be surprised, he's always hungry. Although, I don't think he had anything else to eat except a few cookies this morning, you see…" He mapped out what had happened earlier that day between himself and Sora to Violet, Sora frustrated yet embarrassed at some of the ways Riku explained them to happen, but was too nervous to say anything. He did leave out the kiss part, though.

'Thank god,' Sora thought. He vaguely noticed when a plate was set in front of Riku as he continued to shovel the food into his mouth.

"Slow down, you're going to choke and die. If that happened, who would I be able to beat at sparring every day?" Riku joked. He frowned when Sora glanced up in mid-shovel and then looked to the side quickly after, only to go back to eating, a bit more slowly. He gave up on his efforts at trying to start up something similar to conversation, and instead gloomily ate his food with his head rested on one propped up arm.

Violet listened silently to the two boys while putting cooking utensils and other oblong objects away. Both of them finished at the same time, although Riku had not quite finished all of his meal.

"Is something the matter, honey? Did I put too much salt in it again? Sora can never tell whenever I do, because he never waits to taste it, of course…" Violet questioned while picking up his plate.

"No… no, it was great. Thank you very much, Violet. I'm just not very hungry." Smiling politely Riku stood up and pushed his stool under the bar.

"Alright, well, why don't you two go do something else? I can clean up myself." She returned the smile and Riku nodded, looking expectantly at Sora.

Feeling Riku's gaze upon him, Sora sighed and copied his friend's earlier actions: standing up and pushing his stool in.

* * *

_Plunk. Plunk. Plunk… thump thump._

Tidus chuckled. "You're losing your touch."

Grumbling, Wakka leaned down to pick up the ball he had dropped in the middle of his throw-up-and-catch-with-one-hand game. The blonde couldn't help but notice the way the other's muscles rippled underneath that shirt of hi-

His train of thought was cut of when the person he had been staring at brought an arm up to wrap around his shoulders. He blushed.

"Nah, I'm still the best there is. It's just hard to concentrate when someone as pretty as you is right beside me, ya?" Wakka smirked.

Was it possible for his face to get any redder?

"Haha… yeah." He didn't know how to respond. 'Wait, pretty? I'm handsome, if anything!'

The two had already had their game of Blitzball with a few other people they had round up after a bit of searching, but both became bored after the first hour.

Wakka looked to the sky in thought, continuing to move forward. "Hmmm… do ya want to go get some ice cream?"

"Your treat…?"

He laughed. "Of course. You owe me though, man."

"I thought a treat was considered free?" Tidus more stated than asked.

Waving his hand dismissively, Wakka replied, "Mhmm, whateva. Don't you still owe me for a whole bunch of other things? Like…" He brought up a hand to count, the ball tucked under his other arm. "That expensive sticker you liked 'cause it was sparkly, that new Blitz Ball, the… wha' was it, a rope, ya?"

"No, that was a stuffy snake! I-"

Wakka looked at him skeptically.

Tidus yelled, frustrated, "_Whaaat?_"

"Tha's not very manly, ya know."

"Hey! I-"

"We're here, man."

"What?"

Putting both of his hands on either side of the blonde's head, Wakka turned it to face the small ice cream shop in front of them. "We're here."

Tidus snorted and crossed his arms. "You're still paying."

* * *

"Sora…"

"I'm sleeping."

"If you were asleep, how could you be talking to me?"

"You woke me up!"

Riku rolled his eyes, and silence once again filled the room.

"Well, this is exciting," he drawled.

"I-… I'm sorry." Sora was once again curled up underneath the sheets of his bed, seeking protection from any conversation.

"No, Sora… it's not…" Riku whispered sadly. He reached out to touch what he thought to be Sora's shoulder, but stopped abruptly when the form under the covers tensed. "I…" His shoulders slackened and a broken sigh racked his body in defeat.

The last thing heard were a set of feet walking out the door, which closed behind them.

* * *

"Selphie, I really don't think this is going to work. I do support your opinion, but… we shouldn't interfere in other people's lives!"

"Oh, c'mon, it'll work fine! And if it doesn't, we can always shove one of them onto the other by 'mistake', and wait for them to make out! Hey, that's not a bad idea…"

Selphie started to giggle insanely and Kairi decided to keep her distance. The two were walking side-by-side; going over their plan and when they thought it should be initiated.

Sighing, Kairi said, "I still don't think it's a very good idea…" She paused when she noticed the glare on her companion's face, and quickly added, "Not your plan! That's ok… it's just, the general idea of butting into their lives. I don't think that's a good idea. Couldn't we at least give them a while?"

Stopping in mid-step, Selphie crossed her arms in thought. "Although I've been _dying_ to do this forever… alright, we'll give them a bit. But I'm not waiting forever!" She stomped her foot as if to add to her point.

"Girls… Girls! Kairi! Selphie!"

Both turned towards the sound of the calling voice, seeing Violet running out to them, the door left open behind her.

"You've got to help me! I don't… I don't know why…" she sobbed. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she frantically searched for words to grab onto and explain with.

"Whoa, whoa… calm down V., what's the matter?" Kairi tried to sooth the poor woman when she almost fell into the auburn-headed girl's arms.

"Hurry… I don't… get to a phone! Call the Hospital!"

The two teens exchanged looks of worry, and Selphie ran into the house.

* * *

Riku yawned.

Boredom.

Riku stretched.

Uncomfortable boredom.

"May as well get up." He sighed, and did as stated.

Conversing with the ceiling through his eyes certainly wasn't productive, so, maybe the TV would have some answers.

_**Riiing!**_

Or, maybe the phone would help.

_**Riiing!**_

"Coming! Damn it… Wait a second!"

_**Riiing!**_

"Why the Hell am I talking to a phone? Ow! Crap… stupid chair."

_**Riiing!**_

"COMING! JESUS! WAIT A SECOND!"

Rii- click. 

Out of breath, Riku finally reached and answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Riku?" A girl's voice floated through the device.

"Selphie?"

"Riku! Thank god… you have to come! Quick! We don't know if they're taking him to a hospital… We're at the clinic, he… we're not exactly sure, but… there was blood! I… don't know!"

His breath caught in his throat, a dark feeling rose in his chest.

Trying to comfort her, Riku soothed, "Whoa, whoa, calm down. Take a deep breathe, what is it? What do you mean blood?"

"It's… Sora. I'm not-"

Click! 

"Hello? Hello? Great…" Selphie quietly hung up the phone, took a breath as advised earlier, and walked over to her other friend.

Riku? He was already gone out the door.

* * *

_Jing-jingle-**SLAM!**_

The sound of someone's entrance to the small medical clinic was heard to everyone inside, and the clamping of shoes made its way to the front desk.

"My friend, he's here… he has brown hair, he probably came with at least one other girl! Was he already transferred to the hospital? Where _is_ he!" yelled Riku, frantic with desperation.

Slowly sitting up, not wanting to frighten the male in front of her, the slim secretary made eye contact.  
"Do you know his name?" Her shaky voice was barely audible to him in his frustration, he slammed an open hand upon the counter. 

"Of COURSE I do! He's my **BEST FRIEND**!"

"Sir, you're going to have to calm down, we don't want any of the other patient's frighten-"

"CALM DOWN! You don't understand! He could be DYING! I… damn it… I lo-!"

"Riku!"

He swiftly turned around when he heard his friend's voice. Kairi was just walking up beside the brunette, glancing back at Sora's mother who was seated behind them with her head in her hands. Selphie ran up to him and grabbed the hand that was upon the counter, looking up at him.

Selphie tried to calm him down by explaining, "It's ok, Riku. He's just in that room over ther-"

She wasn't able to finish his sentence. As soon as she raised a pointed finger in the direction of Sora's room, Riku had ripped out of her grasp, making a sprint for the door. Slamming it open with a force comparable to Ansem's, his eyes came upon the one he was looking for. The silver-haired teen relaxed slightly when he saw the barely noticeable rising and falling of Sora's chest.

Letting out a breath he didn't even know he was holding, Riku was about to make a step forward but froze when he was interrupted by a deep voice.

"Are you a friend of Sora's?"

His head whipped to the right, where at the foot of Sora's bed sat a man he hadn't seen before. Yet… he seemed familiar…

"Yes, I am. Have we met?" Riku's question echoed his thoughts.

"I don't think so. I'm Cady."

Riku continued staring, gathering memories and waiting for them to click. If they hadn't met, what was it that his mind was telling him to remember?

'Wait, it couldn't be… not _that_ Cady.'

"Cady? You mean, you're-"

"His," the man in front of him, Cady, glanced at the bed beside the both of them, and said to the one conscious, "father."

Riku's eyes could only double in size.

* * *

**Poke':** Dun dun dunnn!

**Sora:** What happened to me!

**Riku:** Refer to previous statement, replace 'me' with 'him'.

**Poke':** You'll see in the next chapter. That's what a cliff-hanger's for!

**Sora:** Why's meh daddeh back?

**Riku:** 'Daddeh'?

**Sora:** Dad, Daddy, Father, Padre, Sire, Pappy, Papa, Old Man, whatever. It all works.

**Poke':** Right… well, I had sort of a creative bust going on (if that makes any sense; what I mean to say is writer's block), but now that I have this idea going… well, I have a lot of other ideas going! So, you can give me back Riku now, Gehkiie!

**Sora:** I thought he was already here?

**Poke':** Nope. -pokes inflatable Riku- He just has some catch phrases.

**Riku-thing:** Crap! Fan girls!

**Poke':** -pokes-

**Riku-thing:** -smirk-

**Sora:** Woah! He smirks too! -pokes-

**Riku-thing:** Sora! Let's make out! -cough- I mean… Sora! Wanna spar with me?

**Poke':** Yes! And the Inflatable Riku (Patent Pending!) can be yours today, with one installment of a 'real Riku' made by Gehkiie, or anyone else who can get Riku from Gehkiie for me!

**Sora:** -sob- I want my Riku back!

**Poke':** How can you deny this poor thing? -points to Sora-

**Sora:** -puppy eyes-

**Poke':** Anyways… sorry if this chapter was a bit short (is it?), but I had to cut it there because it would be more cliff-hangarish, and I have to get off the computer before I get in trouble. Simply put, I've been on for a while. Also, I'll be gone for the next few days to this choir camp thing, so I thought I'd get this out before I left. It has snow up there right now! It's spring for god's sake! Not that that's a bad thing, I love snow!

**Sora:** Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

**Poke':** Reviews are loved! I haven't gotten any yet, but flames will only melt my snow, which will deeply sadden me. No snow, oh the sorrow. _R & R! Read and Review! _

**Sora:** Bring me back my Riku! ;-;


	6. Slumber Party! Or not

**Caged Thoughts**

**Chapter Six: _Slumber Party! …Or not._**

**Warning:** This fanfic of Shonen-ai-ness contains… Shonen-ai! I've already said what that means in previous chapters. So, don't ask me again. Oh! And very eeny-weeny-teeny-small Riku angst at the end.

**Disclaimer:** How sad it is to realize that a large amount of which you own is worthless, and only a small amount of which you own has any value at all. The small part in my collection of things does not include Kingdom Hearts/Final Fantasy, or any of its characters/owners/stuff-things. Unless you count a copy of the Kingdom Hearts game for PS2.

**Reviews:**

BookwormJ: Thanks!

Reina-183: Thanks! It's ok about the not-reviewing thing, you don't need to apologize! Also, we'll be seeing what's wrong with him soon.

Karesu: Vile? BWUAH HA HA! I am vile! Thank you!

Gehkiie: Nooo! Save him Sora!

Conjure Lass: Oh, thanks! I'm glad you like it. D And I didn't know Riku was that IC, I don't know if I was really trying… I was just making him perverted. But… in his perverted-ness he teases, and in the game he tends to tease Sora a lot, so I guess he _is_ in character. Bleh, go me! XD

.Em.violet.: Ahhh! Don't kill me! I'll… hide in my locker or something! I can fit in there! Don't think I'm joking! Wait, crap. Now you can find me since I told you… um… no! I'm not going to hide in my locker tomorrow! Forget I said anything!

**Note:**

I got Final Fantasy VIII! Leon/Squall-ness! I had to leave the PS2 on though; I didn't realize I needed a PS1 memory card for the game. --; I died just a few days ago while battling the Diablos GF from the magic lamp (I didn't realize he was in it, so I wasn't prepared), so now I have to start the whole game over seeing how I couldn't/didn't save my memory.

None of the stores near my house have Final Fantasy VII because of how wanted it is. I'm going to have to go call the downtown stores, I guess…

**Narration: Pudding.**

**Speech/Talking: "Poodle."**

**Thoughts: 'Pudd-le! Pudding and Poodle! Hey… wait, is pudd-le already a word?'**

**

* * *

**

"_That_ Cady?" he exclaimed.

'_That_' Cady laughed.

"Unless you know some other Cady… which I'm not sure if you do, then yes. I'm 'that Cady'," he stated.

"But, you…" There were those few rare moments where Riku could actually be caught unaware, oblivious, unprepared, speechless… anything having to do with catching him off-guard. This was one of them. "You! _You_ did this! How **COULD** you! He's your **SON**! And you _just_ came back, too! Speaking of which, where the **HELL** have you **BEEN**? Leaving **BOTH** of them to their selves, on their own! I can't believe you-!"

"Riku? Riku, st- stop." a hoarse voice called.

Said person practically shot over to and leaned over the bed's side, reaching out to cup the heart shaped face of the one who spoke. Sora started coughing, and Riku helped him sit up as he hunched over in pain, hand covering his mouth in a polite gesture. The silver-haired teen reached over to the bedside table and grasped a glass full of water, offering it to the poor boy, who quickly accepted and drank.

"Are you alright? I came down as quickly as I could as soon as I heard, and…" Riku turned his head to glance at Cady, who seemed to be exiting the room; the door was closed behind him. "I was so worried. You wouldn't believe…" Taking a deep breath, he laid his head on the Sora's lap, his arms crossed on the bed for support, and his face turned away from his friend's stomach.

"It's ok, it's just a bit of-" the brunette coughed lightly in mid-sentence, but continued, "the doctor said I should be fine, she said it was a combination of getting sick from this morning, and… I coughed up a bit of blood earlier… I've just… been a little tired. You know, from this morning! I didn't get much sleep, and I-"

"Blood? Are you kidding me? If you coughed up blood, it's not because you've got a puny cold. You're lying. I can tell. What is it?"

Sora blushed, caught in the act, but started coughing harshly. After a worried glare from Riku, he sighed when finished, ready to spill.

"Ok, alright. She actually asked me if I had… been under any stress lately, and I gave her my answer: yes. A bit. And she said that's part of what may have caused it. But, I wasn't really lying! The no-sleep thing probably helped the sickness bacteria-guys to make me… more sick!"

Riku chuckled at Sora's childish way of speaking, but let the matter of why he was stressed slip.

"Take it easy, you know I worry about you," he suspired.

Smiling slightly, Sora leaned back against the headboard in back of him, and slowly started weaving his hands through the soft locks of Riku's hair.

"You don't need to worry about me, I can take care of myself!" declared Sora.

"Mhmm, right. Last time I left you alone, you ended up in the Medical Clinic's bed, remember?"

Sora rolled his eyes, and starting tying the hair in his hands into small braids.

Shifting uncomfortably, Riku tried reaching behind his head to stop his friend from continuing his actions.

"I'll look ridiculous if you keep doing that," he moaned.

"No, You'll look cute."

Sora paused in his work, blushing slightly at what he had said, and waited for a response from the person in front of him. He received a light laugh, and so bowed his head, concentrating on the task at hand.

The door opened with a quiet creak and in stepped Violet with a worried look painted across her face. Seeing the sight before her, she smiled, almost smirking in triumph, and walked forwards until she was at the end of the bed.

"Ahem," she coughed, gaining the boys' attention and embarrassment. "Sora, I know you spoke to your father earlier, so you know he's here, and from the ruckus I heard, I think Riku has too…" Riku sat up and crossed his arms, frowning. "So… getting to the point. You see, your father and I would really like to catch up, and the doctor said you're fine to leave as long as you get some rest, but… I'd like you to stay here. I don't feel that you'd be safe without anyone watching over you when I'm out."

Sora shook his head, replying, "I'd be fine, mom. Can I _please_ leave? I really don't like how everything's so dull here; it's all white, and it sort of creeps me out."

"But, what would happen if you fainted again? Nobody would be there to help you. I know I'm a pain, but I'm your mother, and that's what I'm told I'm supposed to be. A pain." She chuckled and shook her head at her own statement.

Riku butted in, "He could stay at my house with me, if you're that worried. I may not be his mother, but I can… cook?"

Laughing again, Violet nodded. "Alright, alright. But, we may be staying out pretty late because I want to have an… adult chat with him. You know, discuss everything that's happened since he's been gone. So, you may as well have him stay over. And Sora, don't forget to change your underw-"

"I'LL BE _FINE_ MOM. Jeeze."

"The key to our house is where it usually is, Sora. So get whatever you need there. Oh, and by the way, Riku," Violet started to walk towards the open door near her, and continued, "nice hair. Very cute."

The door closed behind her; Riku growled, Sora laughed.

* * *

No matter what anyone's opinion may have been, the braids were taken out.

Seated on Riku's couch, the two boys were staring at each other; Sora with a blanket wrapped around him and a cough emitted every once and a while.

His mother had left with Cady from the Medical Clinic (probably to go talk over coffee), Kairi went home to tell her parents where she had been, and Selphie had probably gone to either Wakka or Tidus' to tease one (or both) of them about… something or other.

"What do you want to do?"

"I dunno, what do you wanna do?"

"That's what I asked you, you have to tell me."

"Well… I don't know. What do you want to do?"

"I said I don't know! What do _you_ want to do? You're the guest!"

"Um… Well, since I'm the guest, I want you to decide what we should do."

"And being a polite host, I want you to decide what we should do. But, I don't want you to decide that I should decide what we should do."

"…"

"…"

"What do you want to do; no returns; rainbow, black, white, and brown magic infinity?" **(1)**

Riku grabbed a pillow from beside him and chucked it at the cinnamon-haired boy. "No fair!" he yelled.

Sora dodged and said, "Pfff, tough luck. I got to it first!"

"…"

"…"

"I still don't know what we should do."

Releasing a sigh, Sora collapsed backwards against the couch and curled up.

Sora mumbled, "Let's just go to sleep then. I'm tired."

"Alright, alright. You should get some rest anyways, seeing how that's what the doctor prescribed. Just don't go to sleep yet, I'll get some sleeping bags or blankets or something out."

"Mhmm…" Sora muttered.

The older of the two rose from his spot, making his way towards the guest room. When he opened the door, he soon realized it wouldn't be suitable for sleeping in. From previous attempts at cleaning his house, the teen had run out of storage space, and so piled everything on, under, or around the guest room's bed.

"Crap…"

Riku pinched the bridge of his nose in aggravation, and started walking back towards his original location. He called, "Sora! The guest room is all clutter-" Stopping in mid-sentence, he stood in the middle of the hallway staring forward blankly. He leaned back and peeked his head through the doorway to his room, seeing a head of brown sticking out of the sheets on his bed.

Amused, Riku shook his head slightly and walked into the room. His arms reached out and grabbed the slumbering brunette by the shoulder to try and shake him awake. "Sora, I just wanted to tell you I'm going to sleep on the couch since you're here right now and… there's no other place to sleep except on the floor."

Sora, half-asleep, mumbled, "Dun be stupid… there's tons a room here… you can sleep with me." He sat up slightly, eyes drooped and hair in a state if disarray, with his head propped up with a pillow.

Riku bit his lip and tried to force down the blush that was fighting to cover the expanse of his face, caused by the last part of what his friend had said. Trying to keep his cool, he replied, "Nah, it's ok. I'll be fine. Just call me if you need anything, alright?"

He was about to leave before a tanned hand caught his wrist in a gentle clasp. Riku caught a gasp that had almost arisen as his head swiveled to look at the hand holding his.

"You know, I can keep being stubborn even if you don't want me to be. If I have to resort to it, I'll… um, tie you down to the mattress," Sora threatened.

Riku mumbled, "Heh… kinky."

Cocking his head to the side with his eyes knitted together in a way of expressing confusion, Sora questioned, "What? I…" He yawned again. "I didn't catch that."

"I said, uh… you'd have to be pretty slinky to try anything on me." He almost kicked himself. '_Slinky?_ Right. Like he's _actually_ going to believe I said that after the long pause.'

"Oh, ok."

'Or… maybe he will.'

"But, I don't think I should run around of anything. 'Cause it would probably make me even more sick, and mom would get really mad." He smiled sheepishly as if to apologize for not accepting the challenge.

"Exactly. That's another reason why I shouldn't be in the same bed with you." He almost kicked himself again. 'Must… stop… perverted… thoughts…'

"But… **Ri_kuuu_**! I'm _cold_!" whined Sora.

'Oh God, not the…'

Yes, it was the Sora Pout™. That retched pout that always stopped the poor victim on the receiving end in their tracks. That retched pout that always got the upper hand. That retched pout that always, **always**, had Riku doing whatever it was Sora wanted. He hated and loved that pout so much; this time, though, he wasn't going to fall for it. This time, he'd put up a fight! This time-

"_Fine_…"

This time, it'd be like all the other times. A futile attempt of thinking he could oppose such an innocent gesture, and failing.

The nineteen year old lifted his shirt over his head and threw it in some miscellaneous corner, his back facing Sora. He pulled up the sheets to the bed and climbed in as his friend scooted over to lie down. Riku reached over to the bedside table and turned off the single lamp lighting the room, then lightly draped his arm over the brunette who had his back facing him.

A few minutes later Sora's quiet even breaths signaled that he was indeed, asleep.

"Sora…"

Riku tightened his grasp around the teen in his arms, holding him protectively. He breathed in deeply before letting out a long sigh and whispering, "If only you knew…"

* * *

**(1)** My friends and I seem to have these conversations a LOT. Where we'll decide to walk home together, then we decide to do something/hang out, but we don't know what to do. In fact, that happened just today, and the day before, and the day before, and the day before, and three days before that, and… you get the idea. I think that all of those times, it was with the same people, and we ended up with me playing Kingdom Hearts (starting the game all over again) and them watching.

Anyways… the 'no returns' thing basically means that you can't say the same thing back to the person who's said 'no returns'. It also works for people not giving you back something you've given to them. Like garbage. I tend to do that a lot. Of course, it will only work if the person you say it to actually believe in it/plays the game (if you'd like to consider it a game). It's sort of like when you jinx someone: it's not like you _have_ to stop speaking just because they said jinx, you only do it for fun, or because you're worried of the consequences and actually believe in it.

The Black/Rainbow/Brown/White Magic thing is something a few of my friends have used in the past; it's just something that basically seals the deal, and makes it a bit more bonded/stronger. Same with the added on 'infinity'.

**Poke':** Blagh… a bit of a shorter chapter this time.

**Riku:** -is not here-

**Sora:** …I'm lonely. ;-;

**Poke':** -pats shoulder- It'll be ok. We'll find him soon enough.

**Sora:** -sob-

**Poke':** Cookie?

**Sora:** -stops crying- WHERE? –looks around frantically-

**Poke':** That was a quick change of attitude… well, I'll update ASAP, which will probably take a while like all the other chapters, but you never know! With .Em.violet. hounding after me whenever she remembers and/or gets the chance to, I may update faster. I also think I'll do a revision of the first few chapters; there's a few mistakes I'd like to clear up. That may come later though, either when I'm near finished, or finished.

**Sora:** Where's the cookieee..? Heere cookie-cookie!

**Poke':** Riku, come back - unlike my ability to update - ASAP! I don't know how much longer I can keep this up!

**Sora:** Keep what up?

**Poke':** Nothing, nothing… --;;

**Poke':** Review, please? Seeing how you've already read, I don't know why I should say 'Read and Review'. Unless, that is, you skipped to this conversation-thingy for some odd reason, and you're going to read the chapter afterwards.

**Sora:** Cookie…?

**Poke':** --;; R & R, please! 


	7. Neighbouring Nuisance

**Caged Thoughts**

**Chapter Seven: _Neighbouring Nuisance_**

**Warning:** This fanfic contains Shonen-ai, meaning male/male romance.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own all the stuff I do not own.

**Reviews: **

Reina-183: I'm glad you like it; yes, Riku with braided hair would look ridiculous. I wonder what he would look like with dreadlocks… or a Pippi Longstocking-style hairdo.

XxXChainsXxX: Thanks! I'd have to say Sora is clueless in most situations… 'most' meaning almost every millisecond of every day. Let's hope he'll be clued in soon, and then Riku won't be so misunderstood, hm?

Winginit06: Thank you. :D

.Em.violet.: NUUU! Not the Mike-attack-ness… uh… thing. Um… NO!

mew-mew-girl-101: Thanks. :

**Note:** Once again, I apologize for not updating in what I think is the longest time it has taken me to update. I've had a lot of schoolwork to deal with, and it's been chewing away at my 'other-than-school/homework-time'. No, I'm not stupid… at least I don't think I am, but a lot have people have said I'm a perfectionist, and that may be the reason as to why it takes me so long to finish things. But, hooray! I'm back! Um, yesss.

P.S.: I got Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy X, and Final Fantasy XI Online over the time that I had been… um… writing this chapter. Yesss, writing the chapter.

Anyways, finished VII, VIII, X, and… XI doesn't finish, as most MMORPGs (Mass Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) don't. I also finished KH a few times again, too… when I could have been writing… DON'T HURT ME! O-o;;

**Narration: Blah.**

**Speech/Talking: "Blah-blah."**

**Thoughts: 'Blabbity-blah-blah.'

* * *

**

"Awww…"

"We really shouldn't be bothering them…"

"How can we bother them when they're sleepin'?"

"Our talking could."

"Then… just be quiet."

"No, what I mean is we should leave… and… you're missing my point…"

Being awoken unintentionally was something Riku hated. Being awoken intentionally was something he hated even more. Especially when he had a certain slumbering brunette still in his arms. Whoever had the nerve to be in his house at this hour and wake him was going to get a beating…

Well, it actually wasn't that early. So, 'this hour' wouldn't have been a very good term to use. It seemed the both of them (both as in Sora and himself) had slept in until…

Riku picked his head up from its resting place - Sora's shoulder – and checked the time.

…2PM? Jeeze! No wonder there were people in his house. Other than his parents of course, but they didn't count, seeing how they were always away on business. The guys (and girls…) had probably come looking for the both of them (or maybe just to see how Sora was doing) to see where the heck they were. Or maybe Selphie just wanted some Pretzels. Getting back on topic though…

Wait, what _was_ the topic again?

'Nevermind. I don't want to get up, but if the guys see this and get the wrong impression… it would kill Sora.' He sighed. 'Or would it? Would he tell them off? Would he avoid me? Would he accept me? Would he care if I kissed him right no- WOAH. WAIT. Not where I was originally intending to GO.'

By then, Riku had made his way into a pair of tan cargo pants and a light emerald t-shirt with a black swirling yet tangled pattern on the upper front. He strode gracefully down the hallway and leaned against a wall while lazily rubbing at an eye, and waited for the two girls who were chattering away on the couch to notice him. Kairi did right away - seeing how she hadn't really been listening to Selphie's rant - and so sat up straighter and offered a smile.

"What's up?" she said.

Selphie had finally taken the initiative to notice that Kairi wasn't listening, and so turned to the source of attention.

"Oh, Riku!" Selphie squealed, "where's Sora?" Craning her head to look through the doorway, the yellow-clad girl scanned the area for said person. She pouted slightly when her eyes didn't come upon what she had been searching for, and turned back to Riku.

He explained, "He's still sleeping. Didn't get much the other night and the exhaustion from getting sick must've added to it."

"And he's just lazy," Kairi sniggered.

"Or maybe he was just _so_ comfortable with you, that he didn't wanna get up." Selphie grinned deviously while searching Riku's eyes for emotion.

Riku spluttered and a streak of light red covered his cheekbones. He coughed and tried composing himself, while the two girls both smiled largely, trying to hold back their laughs. Not being able to come up with a legible excuse for his reaction, Riku tried changing the subject. "I'm sure he was just tired." When Selphie whispered 'from you probably wearing him out' to Kairi, he glared, but ignored it and questioned, "How did you guys get into my house anyways? And where's-"

A large 'bump' came from the front door. Riku raised a delicate eyebrow in question at his two guests, but they just shrugged in reply. So, he made his way towards the source of sound and placed a hand on the doorknob. He paused when he heard someone utter shakily, "Wakka…?", but opened the door fully quickly afterwards. Sidestepping just in time, Tidus fell through the doorway with Wakka on top. Judging from their current position, Tidus had been leaning with his back against the door, and Wakka could have been leaning against him… or maybe he had an outstretched arm placed against the door somewhere?

"So that's where you guys were. I'm surprised you weren't hanging out with Selphie and Kairi."

With wide eyes Tidus stuttered, "R-Riku! U-um, it's not what it looks like! I mean… um…" He glanced back and forth from Wakka's – very close – grinning face to Riku's smirking one as he started to grow hot with embarrassment. He tried to get out from underneath the one above him, but failed after multiple attempts.

Riku uttered, "It's not what _what_ looks like, Tidus?"

"Uh-m…"

_Thonk._

"You idiot! Get _off_ of me!"

Riku sniggered as the younger blond tried his best to get out from underneath the red (or orange?) -head. He would have doubled over in laughter had it not been for the fact that he wanted to keep what was left of his reputation.

"I can't believe you… _UGH!_ Wake _UP!_ Stupid!"

Still trying to contain his amusement, Riku bent over and helped his friend pull himself out from underneath the slumbering teen. Tidus rose from his sitting position up into a standing one as Riku tried closing the door; still opened from the others' entrance. He failed the first time when Wakka's feet got in the way, but swiftly kicked them to the side in annoyance and shut the door with a slam.

"What's wrong with him? Is he drunk or something?" Riku questioned.

Tidus stood up and dusted himself off. Selphie's voice was heard a room away, saying, "Drunk on _looove!_"

"Shut-up, Selphie!" Tidus yelled, crossing his arms in a way to contain his embarrassment.

Riku tried again. "But, seriously, why is he so tired?"

"Probably because he was up all night with Tidus, just like you were with Sora, Riku!"

"SHUT-_UP,_ SELPHIE!" the two teens vociferated.

"…"

"…wait, with Sora? What does she mean, Riku?" Tidus questioned.

"…"

"…"

"MONKEY LOVE!"

"ARRRGH! That's IT!" Riku yelled. "Selphie…"

The brunette giggle nervously and slowly stood up, trying to bring herself to a level that seemed less intimidated. She replied, "Heh-heh… yes, Riku-darling?"

"Get." Riku took a step forward. "Out." Another step. "Of." And another. "My." They were then face-to-face, Selphie leaning back slightly, frightened that the silver-haired menace might bite her nose off. "HOUSE!"

Placing her hands on her hips, she 'harrumphed', and stated, "Technically, this _isn't_ your house. Did _you_ pay the mortgage? I think not!"

Riku brought a hand to the bridge of his nose and pinched - very hard - in exasperation. Tidus, sensing the cloud of anger trying to be withheld in his friend, quickly ran over to the Selphie and grabbed her arm, dragging her out of the room and away to safety.

"Hey-hey-hey! I wasn't finished with him and I-"

She was shoved into the other room (namely, the kitchen), and before she could escape, the door was closed.

Satisfied, Tidus walked over and finally attended to the fallen form of Wakka – seeing how no one else had. This procedure contained continuously poking him in different places until he woke up. Although this persisted for quite some time, it didn't seem to be having successful results; Tidus was seriously thinking of getting a bucket of water…

"Hey! Riku! Anywhere I can drag this guy?" he called.

Waving a hand, the other still trying to alleviate the pressure in his head, Riku rejoined, "It doesn't matter. Lock him up with Selphie or something."

Tidus grabbed Wakka's foot, and dragged him in the same direction he had taken his female friend recently in. Both were then seen going through and beyond the doorway they passed under, door closing shut behind them.

During this time, Riku had taken the initiative to control his arising anger, walking over to Kairi and sitting down beside her.

"How… do you put up with her?" he questioned, almost perplexed. "Never mind at all, but for a _whole day?_"

Kairi laughed lightly, shaking her head.

"I don't know, she just drags me around. Maybe she's not as worse when you're not around? Or, maybe she's just mellower around me… I could have just gotten used to it, or maybe it's because we're both girls? I don't know, Riku, there're many reasons."

"She's _insane_…"

Smiling a bit, Kairi's head once again swayed from left to right, and vice-versa.

"Maybe, but I don't think so…" she replied, and then turned her face to slowly meet Riku's gaze. "She's right, though, you know."

"Hm?" His head also swiveled after he noticed the edge of seriousness in Kairi's voice.

"I didn't realize it myself until a bit ago, when Selphie pointed it out to me, but…" she bit her bottom lip nervously, took both of Riku's hands in hers, and continued in a hushed tone, "the quick worried looks, the way you tease and bicker, the way your whole… aura, lights up when…"

Riku's eyes were getting wider than ever before as realization dawned upon him.

"…When you know you've made him happy. Riku, I… we, know."

Tearing his hands away, the aqua-marine-eyed boy crossed his arms and faced another direction.

"Riku…?"

"I don't care!" he whispered harshly.

"Ri-"

"It doesn't matter! You have no right to treat me like some troubled child! I… we…" His eyes softened, and his gaze met the floor. "Just… don't tell, please, don't tell him. I wouldn't be able to _stand_ it if he avoided me…"

Kairi's hands quickly came up to rest on her friend's shoulder, and she - quite strongly - said, "No." At that, Riku's head snapped up in fear and he opened his mouth to protest, but Kairi cut in before he could get the chance to. "What I mean is, no, Riku, you don't understand. I, as your friend, whole-heartedly support whatever is between you and Sora. As long as it isn't hate, of course," she added at the end.

His face brightening up considerably, Riku swiftly leaned forward and gathered the girl up in a tight hug. He choked out a 'thank you', while trying to hold back tears.

A tired sigh escaped Kairi's mouth, and she patted Riku's back comfortingly.

"You should know that I wouldn't shun you. I don't think any of the other's would either. I mean, Selphie already – obviously – knows and supports it, Wakka's a very easy-going guy, and from all the time I've known Tidus, he seems to be a very nice person. I just…" she paused, glancing towards the one doorway to make sure their privacy still existed, and then finished, "I just wish you'd tell him."

She broke the embrace, and looked him in the eye. Breaking the connection of sight, Riku placed his hands on his knees and squeezed them tightly.

"I know… but, I'm… afraid. Afraid to see how he'd react," he admitted.

There was a pause, and Riku could feel that Kairi's silence was one that was expectant of him to continue. To just… let it out. So, raising his eyes to look out from under his hair, he did.

"If he feels the same, that's… great. Well, more than great, but, you know…" he sighed, "if he doesn't but accepts it, I just know there would still be an awkward feeling between us, anyways." He shook his head, looked up at the ceiling, and closed his eyes. "And then… there's always the possibility of him just… hating me."

Kairi sent Riku a skeptic look after he had opened his eyes, and loosely crossed her arms across her chest.

"C'mon, you dope. You've known each other for… what? Forever? Nobody would throw away the kind of friendship you guys have just like that!" she argued, and snapped her fingers to accentuate her point.

"You'd be surprised, then. I've seen it happen before," he muttered. "Still, if you consider everything I've just said, the odds are against me. I guess… I don't want to risk it, really. Y'know what they say… 'ignorance is bliss'."

"Well, on some occasions it is, but… it's also not good to hold something felt so strongly locked up. It could start to chew away at you in terrible ways…" Kairi suddenly broke out into a grin, and added on amusedly, "Or, one day the bars holding everything back could break, and 'BAM!', you'll suddenly be on top of Sora after a heavy make-out session, with Sora severely afraid for your sanity and his safety. Of course I'm not saying he'd think you to be crazy for liking him, but at least a bit shocked…"

Now with his knees pulled to his chest, Riku's face almost resembled a tomato.

Almost.

"That sounds like something Selphie would sa-"

"Riku?"

A sigh.

"Yes, Tidus?"

"Wakka's making some weird noises… I'm afraid…"

Looking over in what seemed to be an annoyed manner, again, Riku suggested, "About that, you never answered my question before. What happened to him?"

The blonde scratched the back of his head sheepishly, his teeth being shown as an apology.

"Right, right, sorry. Well, this morning, earlier, he mentioned something about his parents being mad… um… oh, right! When he got home, they started yelling at him right away for staying out so late, and he couldn't explain what had happened with Sora," Tidus clarified. "Took him a while to get back home; you know, he lives on one of the outer islands."

"Mhmm," Riku urged.

"And so… by the time they stopped lecturing him, and he got a chance to explain, it was really, _really_, late. He just didn't get much sleep," Tidus concluded.

Kairi popped into their conversation, saying, "He didn't get into trouble though, did he?"

"No… but if he doesn't wake up, he's going to cause a lot of trouble for us getting him home."

"We'll solve that later. He's not _that_ much of a problem. Actually, it seems more like you're making it into one," implied Riku, quirking an eyebrow.

Tidus quickly averted his eyes towards a corner of the room, pulling on a sleeve at the same time.

"What the?-AAAGH!"

Both Riku and Tidus turned towards the sound, Tidus (if noticed) almost seeming relieved. Kairi sat in the same place as she had always been, hand at her temple, an amused grin - almost smirk - on her face.

"WHY DID YOU-?"

_THUMP._

Silence.

"Uh…"

"Maybe…"

"I'll go check…" Riku finally said, a bit apprehensive.

He stepped out of the room and slowly strode down the hall, craning his head to try and see what had happened, but still slightly anxious.

He saw something.

Moving towards him.

But definitely not what he wanted to see.

"Not my FAUUULLLT!" Selphie shrieked, dashing past.

The teen whipped his head around just in time to see Tidus and Kairi peek their heads through a doorway, both looking in the direction of what he heard to be the front door slamming closed.

"Ergh… stupid sugar-filled…"

Riku, hearing the muttered words and remembering his task at hand, reached the doorway of his room at last and gazed at the sight in front of him.

Sora, on his floor, wet, again.

He couldn't stop it.

The shaking in his chest, then the chuckles… and of course, the outright laughter.

Bracing himself on the doorframe beside his shoulder, the shaking eventually died as he blinked the tears away.

Now Sora, of course, was frowning. No one liked to be laughed at; unless, of course, after having told a joke. Sora had done none such thing, but it seemed just existing in such a state still amused his friend.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm wet. Again. Fuuunny," Sora announced a bit hoarsely, his throat still raw from the previous day. "Get me a towel, would you?"

Riku attempted to respond, still a bit shaky from the large amount of laughter he had just been through, "Mhm-chhh… ye-, yep."

Towel in hand, Riku returned and sat cross-legged behind his friend, scrubbing at his head first.

"What did she do," inquired Riku, "dump a bucket of water on you?"

"A cup," Sora snapped.

"Oh." Riku snorted at that, he had not actually expected an answer out of him.

There was a short pause, the only sounds in the room being a few sniffs and coughs emitted from Sora, the other the sound of a towel finishing its job on the brunette's hair.

"Is… is she gone?" he questioned.

"Hm…? Selphie, you mean? Yes, she ran out just a few minutes, I'm guessing, after she woke you up."

Sora sighed in relief. "Oh, alright."

No more speech for quite a time then. The too of them just relaxed in what was a rare silence.

Riku always basked in the pleasant softness of these moments. He loved spending time with Sora, but sometimes just being close to the other boy and being able to just not think about… anything, really, was worth more than it sounded. It was during those times he could be slightly content. As ironic as it sounded, the source of his main problem in life was also the only way he could stay on top of other things. His true joy…

"Sora?"

"Hm?" Sora replied sleepily. He had almost dozed off; Riku's hands had felt nice through the towel, whether or not he was wet.

"What's… what's one of the biggest problems you've ever had in life?"

Blinking twice, quickly, Sora thought for a few minutes before replying.

"Well…" he said slowly, "probably asking mom about dad. I mean, practically all my friends grew up with one, so why didn't I have one? It was hard for me to understand it back then…" He sighed. "There was also the fact that it was tough helping mom out, but, as you can see… everything worked out fine. I have a great family (no matter how little), a great home, and great friends."

At 'friends', he leaned his head back to smile warmly at Riku upside-down.

Riku tried his best to return it.

* * *

**Poke':** Yeah, I'm mean… sorry. ;-; I could have written more, but… I'm sort of uninspired right now. I need to listen to some soundtracks or something. This chapter is as much as I could push out at this point in time, and it still seems like garble to me.

Alsooo... _SO_ sorry it took so long. So very, very, very long…

School hates me, writing block hates me, my computer hates me, etc. etc. etc. (insert other excuses). Whenever I felt vehement, it would die away after a page. --;;

**Sora: **You're alive. o.o;;

**Poke':** Yesss. I seem to be. Or at least undead.

**Sora:** Riku's still gone. ;-;

**Poke':** Ask Gehkiie about that…

**Sora:** You're no help. --

**Poke':** I finished the chapter didn't I?

**Sora:** -ignores and searches for Riku-

**Poke':** Yesss… well, I know what the plot-line-ish thing will be for the next chapter, but I'm just not sure how I'll put it together. So, sit tight, I have no idea how long this will take. NOT as long as this chapter took though, that's for sure.

Please, _R&R_! Reviews make me REALLY happy, whether they're criticism or love/like/stuff like that. But, flames aimed towards Yaoi/Shonen-ai, I will ignore. :D


	8. You're Still You

**Caged Thoughts**

**Chapter Eight: _You're Still You_**

**Warning:** This fanfic contains Shonen-ai, meaning male/male romance. Don't know why I'm still putting this up for you guys if you're up to the eighth chapter…

**Disclaimer:**You want to make me sad? Remind me of what I don't have. Dx Yeah… I don't own the rights to Kingdom Hearts or its characters, etc. etc. etc….

**Reviews (lawl, if anyone is still actually here, that is…):**

_kittylover16:_ Hahaha, yeah… he is pretty oblivious. xD I'm worried at some points that I exaggerate that too much, seeing how its one of his points that I just _love_ to bother Riku with.  
"Hey, Sora, is there a mirror in your pants? Because I think I see myself in them."  
"But, Riku! A mirror couldn't fit in my pocket! A mirror is waaay to big, and my pocket is waaay too small, and I don't think…-"  
-Sigh-  
xD Anyways, I'm glad you're liking the fic so far, thank you. It means I'm doing my job correctly. Kind of. o-O;

_Yuki Bombay:_ I'm happy that you like it so much. 3 And yaoi? Lawl… . ; We'll see. I'm still not too sure about that. It'd be my first time writing anything that extreme… though I could try, who knows? -Shrugs-

_Ankaris123:_ Jeeeeze. XD A lot of the stuff you spoke about here has to do with last year, so, I have few things to reply to. And I could always just talk to you on MSN instead of even typing this, but that would be… slightly unfair, I suppose? o-o; Shhh my name isn't _that_ obvious… Ok… well… maybe it is, but that's… not the point. The Kairi thing? Hahaha, yeah… I'm surprised I haven't killed her in this (coughyet?cough), either. XD I guess it just worked better that she wasn't… a total whore… like she is in our minds.  
–CoughACTUALLYIScough-  
Yeah… looks like you were right about me taking a long time to update. --;  
-Grasps gimme fingers out to take Riku back- ;-;

_funkysirius:_ Jeeze woman, you are just… -Sigh- xD; You ridiculous person, you. Though I suppose I can be worse… Anyways. Curse you for helping Ankaris find me!!! How dare you! –Huffs- And go away. I do not wear… those things. –Shakes fist-  
Riku… the gardener?

_Whipp:_ xD Mmm I dunno… I like vegetables so that wouldn't be too horrible. I could just eat them all. Of course… cookies? NOT THEM! ;-; The human race would not be able to survive without them. Well, I guess Riku's seduction powers is what all of society now relies on to save those delectable pastries. Dx  
Glad you like it, though, thank you. xD

**Note:** Uh… lawl. I'm really not quite sure how to put this. xD A lot has gone on in my life since… a year-ish… ago. -Cough- Good, bad, both, neutral… Yeah. Sorry for not updating. Not sure if any of you who had originally been reading are still even here, as it may be. xD; If so, woah! I'm surprised you're still loyal to this fic (AKA willing to put up with my crap), at all! Really glad to see it, though!

* * *

_Click._

Door closing as sneakers found their corner, Sora lifted his head.

"Have fun on your little… sleepover?"

Cady sat on a couch, reading. One could almost think nothing had been said, were it not

For him raising his eyes to meet Sora's a moment later.

"Um, yeah, I guess…" Sora responded warily. He began to shrug off his jacket and, hanging it up, grasped the handle on his bag.

Returning to stare at his newspaper, Cady went silent. Why did Sora feel such tension..?

"So, where's mom?" he inquired.

His 'father' didn't give sign of hearing him before replying, "She's out." He flipped a page.

"Alright…" the youngest spoke slowly, while sitting himself on a chair nearby. "So…"

Another page turned.

"Why are you here… dad?" The word seemed to roll uncomfortably off his tongue.

At this, the reading material was laid down, and Cady glanced at Sora from under his brow… almost glowering.

He supplied, "Your birthday's in two days… eighteenth."

"Ah..!" Sora uttered. He had almost forgotten, what with all of the strange happenings… _happening_ lately.

Most of it centered around Riku, as of late, it seemed…

"So, did your… _boyfriend_ treat you well at his place?" Cady sneered.

Sora, confused and a bit taken back, said, "Excuse me..?"

"That one who flipped out on me!" he snapped.

"Um…"

'Riku..?'

Cady stood, approaching Sora with eyebrows pinched together. Flicking a hand to the right, he said impatiently, "That silver-haired on from the clinic! Ah… What did Violet say his name was? Ri…"

"…Riku?" suggested Sora.

"Don't interrupt me!" once again, Cady snapped.

"I…"

What was it that was boiling such rage in Sora's once-was father? He had heard stories from his mother… times when he could get out of hand, but there had to at least be a reason as to why he was acting this way. What did he mean by-

"Boyfriend?"

* * *

"Girlfriend?"

"Yeah, you know, Wakka… a partner, mate, lover, companion…" Riku muttered, then shrugged.

"What about boyfriend, ya?" Wakka grinned.

"Ah-" the other expelled, a bit surprised, "I didn't know you had one."

"Nah…" he almost seemed to sigh, "but, I've got mah eyes on someone, if ya know what I mean." Wakka smiled warmly, continuing to move step-by-step along the sand. Shielding his eyes from the sun with one hand, he gazed out towards the horizon.

"Hm…" Riku thought, pausing in his footsteps alongside his friend.

The two had decided to keep walking the stretch of sand after having taken Sora home; their fun at Riku's being finished.

Wakka snickered, "You askin' me out, ya?"

The silver-haired one rolled his eyes over-dramatically and placed both hands on his hips. "Oh, _please_," he exasperated. "This," he started, and displayed by moving a hand across his chest, "is only open to those **_I_** see fit."

Laughing, Wakka responded, "Ya, o' _course_. And I wondah who **_that_**'d be."

"Hm…"

A sigh.

"You should just tell 'im, ya?"

"How about no, ya?" Riku mocked.

Wakka glared, somewhat frustrated. His friend just stared on skeptically.

'It seems Kairi hadn't exaggerated about who knew…'

"Well… i's your choice… still don't think i's tha best, but…" The redhead turned his back on his friend, looking down the beach. "Y'know his birthday's coming up soon… ya?"

"Hm… wai- **WHAT?!**"

He had **_not_** forgotten. He **_couldn't_** have forgotten.

"Jeeze," Wakka snickered, "not tha best secret admira'."

He _had_ forgotten.

"Shi-… how could I forget? Aghhh…" Riku clutched his head in what one would think to be mock-agony, but at that moment he was worried enough for it to be the real thing. "With everything going on, all of these distractions…" Another breath of air escaped his throat as he tried to calm himself.

Suddenly, his head rose, and he made a connection of eyesight with 'their' play island… Specifically fazing at a certain, separated part, housing a certain tree.

"But maybe…" Riku disconnected his precious line of sight; replacing it with a one joined to his open, outspread palms. He clenched them. "…I should."

"Wha'..?"

* * *

"I should have known…" the elder muttered darkly.

Sora looked up at his father worriedly, apprehensive. "What..?" he questioned.

Almost seeming to inspect the shorter for a moment, Cady then spoke, "You're…"

A pause.

His son scrunched his face up in confusion.

He shook his head. "Hn. Never mind."

And with that, he left the room.

Watching as his father departed, Sora's confusion soon branched off and mutated into full-blown curiousity. What was under and crawling beneath Cady's skin so horribly that had caused him to behave in such a way?

Such things were better left unprovoked…

* * *

"Tidus… even _I_ am coming to terms with all of these relationships. You have to at least admit that-"

"No! Really!" exclaimed said teen. He rambled, "I think you're looking into this too much; it's nothing! Hahaha… I mean, you've probably… over evaluated the… situation… not that there _is_ a situation! I mean…"

The redhead, gazing skeptically at her friend as he tripped over his words, stopped in her step as he began to literally do so over his feet.

"Let's have and intervention!" Selphie supplied suddenly.

"From the deal Tidus seems to be making this into, it almost feels like one already…" mumbled Kairi, shaking her head in a negative reply to the suggestion.

Not quite catching all of what her companion had muttered, as it was, the hyperactive girl shrugged and skipped ahead.

"You just must be thinking about it too much-"

"**Tidus.**" Grabbing his shoulders and turning him to face her, Kairi stared at Tidus intently. "I think _you_ are thinking too _little_ about this."

Breaking eye contact, the blonde turned to concentrate on gazing at the path below him.

"No… no… that's not true…" uttered Tidus, shrugging off his companion's hands as he exhaled tiredly. "I've thought plenty about… 'this'. A _lot_, really. I just… well, I don't really…"

Kairi smiled warmly at her friend, comfortingly. "It seems as if you're timid about facing it."

"I…" the boy glanced upwards, delicately wide-eyed, and blinked. "I guess so…" he sighed, once again drooping somewhat. "Just… it's…. I think…"

"See, that may be a part of your problem."

"What?" Tidus quirked, unexpectedly moved out of his train of thought.

"Well, see… when you think a long time, a long good time on things… wanting to or not…" She took a breath, and tapped her chin in consideration. "…You're given the time to think about _everything_. Including the not-so-great stuff, if you know what I mean."

"Uh-"

"_And_," she interrupted, "It's not the good things that worry you, right?"

"Well-"

"_Sooo_…" she exhaled, once again interrupting her friend. "You focus on the bad. The stuff that does worry you, and… eventually, your mind wraps its way around _alllll_ corners and crannies of that bad."

"Ahhh well-" Tidus tried to continue before, again, being cut off.

"Well? Well…" laughing lightly and throwing her hands up to the air, Kairi glanced over towards the rarely-quiet Selphie, before pocketing them. "It's easy to blow things out of proportion, Tidus. And, however cliché it may sound, it's true that, things aren't always as bad as they seem."

Eyes grazing along beneath him, the blond scuffed the heel of his shoe, scoffing, "Pfff… '_always_.'" He looked back at her from out of the corner of his eyes, skeptical. "Well maybe this is one of those times where it **_is_**."

"Oh come **_on_**, Tidus. _You_ know that isn't true. I can even tell you know that it isn't from your reaction," stressed Kairi to the teen, agitated.

"Gah," he simply stated. "Yeah, well… you suck," he, afterwards, added.

Selphie blinked, amused, with some sort of twinkle to her face.

He crossed his arms, seemingly cross himself.

"Oh?" Kairi also seemed amused alongside her female companion. "And why would that be?"

"Just as I'm about to use a line like, 'It's complicated,' you go off and explain perfectly why it isn't! Stopping me in my tracks!" A foot was stomped to demonstrate his turn of phrase. "So… yeah. You suck." Scowling, Tidus then blew a raspberry at the offending 'sucker.'

This, in turn, only caused her and Selphie to laugh. "I love you too, Tidus." And, 'too,' just like him, she stuck out her tongue.

"It's silly," Selphie inputted, joining in on the fun by also protruding her tongue.

The other two blinked.

Tidus opened his mouth to say something, but Kairi grabbed the opportunity first: "What is?"

"Mmm, just…" she teasingly trailed off, tight-lipped grin gracing her face as she skipped once, twice, three times forward. Then, poised graciously upon a ledge, she glanced back impishly at Tidus. "You" A finger was raised to be pointed. "In all of your talking…" It then lowered itself as the girl clasped her hands together innocently in front of her. "Haven't directly mentioned **_him_** even once!" She then clapped them, finished explaining, and with a satisfied look on her face, trotted off without her friends before a response came.

"WAKKA?!" Tidus spilled, finally realizing what Selphie's teasing implications had meant. His face then housed a flourishing blush at the way the topic had been brought up, once again.

"Well… hm… she's right, believe it or not, now that I think about it," the now only other person near him admitted, smiling thoughtfully to herself.

He spluttered, still red, "You're no help!"

* * *

"Ya know, ya'd probably be o' more help to me if ya were less vague about things…" Wakka muttered, eyes rolling.

The person in front of him twisted their head around to smirk almost prepensely. "We all know that if _I_ didn't help you with exercising that intellect of yours, it'd disappear like _that_.

Riku's fingers snapped.

**_CRASH!_**

Two pairs of eyes darted in shock towards different directions, seeking out the source of noise.

Wakka quickly quipped, "I didn't do it…" while at the same time looking back over to Riku. His humor brought no reaction.

"No…" Riku, almost absentmindedly, uttered as he stepped forward. His thoughts intently focused elsewhere, his feet led him on an attempt to fulfill his curiousity's desire. "Isn't that…" Riku started, "didn't that come from…"

"Ooh haaay you're right. S-"

"Sora's house."

There was a moderate silence between the two boys as they both waited, wholly focused on listening for anything beyond what they had heard.

"I think we need to go check," anxiously, Riku said.

"Hm…" Wakka resounded, "well ya know how clumsy he can b-"

"I know, I know," dismissed the other, "but even if it was him…" He began to stride forward, not bothering to check if his friend did the same. Upon realizing he was being left behind, Wakka skipped a few steps forward before catching up, and had to keep doing so at random intervals to keep in pace. Riku finished, "…He might have hurt himself after that loud noise. There's no harm in checking."

"Yeah…" Wakka acknowledged, trailing off as they both strode up the wooden staircase of Sora's porch, "I guess not."

Raising his folded fist to rap upon the weathered wood in front of him, Riku decided against it a moment later and reached instead for the doorknob. The motion of his fingers rotating the oblong object was soon interrupted, though.

**_THUMP!_**

From underneath his clasped hand, the door rattled for a split occurrence before settling once again within its frame. Even without the felt vibration, it was obvious to at least Wakka's eyes that it had, indeed, moved.

Riku, his worry now increased ten-fold, frantically twisted the knob open and ripped the material it was attached to towards himself. He was then rewarded with a person tumbling back from a sitting position to in front of his feet.

"Nnn, ow…"

Brown spikes shifting against Riku's legs, Sora whined and reached up to rub his head. Suddenly stopping halfway to flinch, his eyes rose to look almost feverously in front of him.

"Sora!" his support shouted, frightened for his well-being.

Said person glanced upwards, features loosening extensively in relief as his shoulders also slackened slightly. Riku bent down to tend to the boy, but Sora quickly gazed forward again; his fear returning as he wiped away what seemed to be moisture from his eyes.

Wakka, still standing by the two, followed Sora's train of sight. His eyes narrowed.

"Are you alri-"

"So you decided to bring that bastard over to defend you?!" a voice yelled. "How **_bitchy_** of you," it seethed.

Looking up, Riku noticed a newspaper laying by a shattered mirror to his downed friend's right. He also noticed the single, long cut adorning Sora's left shoulder blade, upon leaning back to inspect what was leaking through his shirt. It was easy to put two and two together.

Growling low in his throat, he stood and approached the offender inside.

"Me? Bastard?!" he spat. "I could see why it would be difficult to tell by looking in that _mirror_ over there…" He gestured to the object with a flick of the wrist. "That you're describing **yourself**!"

Wakka also stalked forward, and though his thoughts were similar, his intentions were elsewhere.

"C'mon man… he's not worth ya time…" he whispered.

"Why you little son of a bitch! How dare you desecrate me like that!" Cady raged, baring his teeth angrily.

Breathing deeply to calm himself while clenching his fists until his knuckles were white, the silver-haired one shook with his _own_ rage.

"Let's just get Sora out of here…" Wakka continued to goad, eventually reaching his right hand up to rest on his friend's shoulder. "_For him_, ya?" He squeezed it.

Riku let his head turn back to the shivering Sora, who was at the time clutching the back of his shoulder, and then let it drop in front of him. He did the same with the matter at hand.

For the time being…

Cady took an intimidating step forward, still in the mindset that a battle was in motion.

"You…" He gazed over the shoulders of the two in front of him, glaring beyond at his biological son, menacing. "…You should have never been **_born_.**"

Sora looked away.

Riku looked up.

"**You!**" the lattermost screamed and lunged forward, upper limbs raised offensively. He would have, most likely, done a decent amount of damage, but his friend held him back. "You didn't even _deserve_ to be born! **He!**" He slung an arm around over Wakka's grip, jabbing a finger in Sora's direction. "**Is the only benefit from your _existence!_**"

"How dare you! You're going to be so sorry..!" retorted Cady after compiling his slip of fear.

Desperately struggling to hold the also struggling one back, Wakka stuttered, "C-c'mon, man, let's just-"

Riku stilled. He spat at Cady's feet.

"The only thing I'm sorry about is having to dirty your _amazing_, _wonderful_ son's floor to give you the only thing you _do_ deserve," he finalized.

And with that, the only coherent things heard were his feet striding over calmly to Sora, leaning down to steadily pick him up, and taking him away from the household.

Lingering for a few seconds was Wakka. Having been pulled to the side when Riku had wrenched away, he swiveled his head back to Cady. He snarled, then followed the other two's suit. All that tailed him was a glare.

Beyond him, Riku continued to walk with Sora quite literally in hand.

"Riku… Riku… I… I'm…" Sora hiccupped, tears threatening to swell over his lashes, "I'm sorry…" He buried his face into his saviour's chest, trying to contain himself as he sniffed.

"No, no Sora… you have _no need_ to be…" Riku consoled, holding his treasure closer.

"Just, but… he called you a…" The younger paused, and lowered his voice a slight bit, almost ashamedly. "A… _fag_." Sora continued to hiccup, gazing up with tears streaming down his cheeks.

Riku was slightly taken aback, and mentally sighed, but decided Sora was more important… especially during that moment.

"But Riku…"

"Mmm..?" the mentioned asked, almost warily.

"I stood up for you. He… he was out of line. And I… I don't think you're a _fag_." The word seemed crude in his mouth, and it felt good to get over saying it.

Again, Sora hiccupped.

"You're just… you're just **_Riku_**, Riku."

Riku's eyes watered, and he sighed, tightly squeezing them shut.

"Oh, _Sora_…"

* * *

**Poké':** Lawl… I'm so cheesy…

**Sora:** -Victimized-

**Poké':** Yeah but… I guess looking back; a lot of this entire fic was as well… nyeh. I suppose it's not… too horrible. xD

**Sora:** -Sucks on a lollypop absentmindedly- Well… cheesy is better than nothing.

**Poké':** Yeah… I'm not even going to look at the date as to when the last time I updated was. It would make me feel worse about it. --;;

**Sora:** -Blinks-

**Poké':** So… I honestly don't have too much more to say about this. oO Um… oh. The fanfic title was kind of taken from a Josh Groban song… because I'm a dork like that. Don't worry, though, I'm a kewl dork. 8B

R&R… please? Every time someone does, it kind of reminds me to get back on the fanfic if I've gotten distracted/forgotten. xD; It also… inspires me, I suppose. 83


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